Shifting Sands
by todd fan
Summary: COMPLETE - The 6th Sidney Chronicle, Sidney gets used to life as a Morlock.
1. Dark Beginings

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Discliamer: "Cartographer, linguist, plumber. Hard to believe he's still single."  
  
****  
  
Here it is, the 6th instalment of the Sidney chronicles. I have decided there will be 10 in all, end it on a nice, even number. WELL, Agatha Harkness showing up in Evo again has offically made this an AU....even if it really was a bit of a large AU to begin with. I have to admit, i never thought the chronicles would get this far...especially with them having an OC as a main character....yup, most suprised. I think it goes without saying now that unless you have read the other 5 chronicles...most of this fic won't make a lick of sense.  
  
****  
  
Chapter 1 - Dark beginings  
  
*****  
  
"B4".  
  
"Miss".  
  
"C12".  
  
Lance paused, watching as Pietro sat in silence.  
  
"Pietro, i SAID C12".  
  
Pietro muttered something quietly under his breath, causing Lance to grin and hold a hand to his ear.  
  
"What was that?", he said with a chuckle, "i can't heeeaaaar yooooou".  
  
"You sunk it", said Pietro, "you happy now?".  
  
"I do believe i have won", said Lance triumpantly, "you know why?, because i sunk all your ships. All your ships have been sunk, by me. ALL HAIL LANCE ALVERS, THE BATTLESHIP KING!"  
  
"You know, Lance, there IS such a thing as a bad winner".  
  
Both boys looked up as Sidney walked in through the front door, closing it and heading into the living room with a sigh. Pietro was on his feet instantly, tapping his foot.  
  
"Do you know what time it is, young lady?", he said.  
  
Sidney blinked and looked at the clock.  
  
"Err...Seven?".  
  
"Seven, that's right, in the MORNING!", said Pietro, "Lance and i have been up all night worried about you! WHERE have you been?".  
  
"Hey, i haven't been up all night worrying, the idiot woke me up and wouldn't let me sleep", put in Lance quickly, then added, "Pietro, you don't know how wrong your statement just sounded...you made us sound like we're married".  
  
Sidney looked between the pair and rolled her eyes.  
  
"I'm going to bed", she stated, "you two need to seek some help".  
  
She hadn't reached the first step when Pietro zipped in front of her, effectively blocking her way to her room.....her bed!.  
  
"Move. Now", she said with a growl.  
  
"Not until you tell me where you were", said Pitero, before a grin spread across his face, "you were on a date with the metal man...weren't you?".  
  
"His name is Piotr", said Sidney, her tail flicking, a sure sign she was getting agitated, "and it really wasn't a date, per-say".  
  
"Oh..staying up until the next morning doesn't sound like a date to you?", said Pietro, "you and i have VERY different perspectives on what dates are".  
  
"Pietro", said Sidney calmly, "if you don't move right now, i will drive a pineapple where the sun don't shine...backwards. Kapeeshe?".  
  
Pietro considered this for half a second, before quickly stepping aside. Sidney gave him a glare before trumping up to the room she shared with Wanda, flopping onto her own bed with a contented sigh. Ahhhh now she could sleep, and sleep all day. Maybe take a few cat naps later on too. Get back on track to her 18 hours of blissfull slumber.  
  
"My brother caught you...didn't he?".  
  
No, not now, not now!. Sidney gave a groan, poking her head up from her pillow to glare at Wanda.  
  
"Yes, yes he did", she said, "now i'm sleepy, so do you mind?".  
  
Wanda gave a smirk that was so much like her twin's...it was scary.  
  
"I'll bet you're tired", she teased, "what WERE you and Peter up to all night?".  
  
"Piotr", Sidney corrected, "and we weren't 'up to' anything. We just spent a night enjoying each others company".  
  
"Meow".  
  
Sidney glared at Ebony from where the cat sat curled up on Wanda's bed.  
  
"Not like that!", said Sidney, horrifed, "you are a sick kitty cat, you know that?".  
  
"Meow".  
  
"Go to Hell!".  
  
Wanda watched this one-way conversation with a chuckle.  
  
"So...what DID happen?".  
  
Sidney took a few minutes to glare at her, before transforming herself into a bobcat, curling up on her bed and effectively putting an end to any more conversation.  
  
****  
  
Meanwhile, Piotr Rasbutin was getting an equally hard time from his teammates.  
  
"Alllllll NIGHT Mon Ami", said Gambit, slapping Piotr on the back, "Remy impressed. He should start teaching more people how to date, non?".  
  
"It was not a date", said Piotr, simply, "we are just being good friends. We are two people who share creative interests. That is all".  
  
"I bet that creativity is great sometimes", said Pyro, giving a wink, "puuurrr...ur....err".  
  
Piotr and Remy blinked at each other and then at their teamamte, wondering why he had trailed off. The reason, unfortunately for all involved, was Sabertooth, who was leaning on the wall, his arms crossed. He looked ready to disembowel something.  
  
"Well...nice knowing you", said Remy, patting Piotr on the shoulder.  
  
"Yeah...we'll miss you, mate", added Pyro.  
  
With that, showing a great sense of team spirit, Pyro and Remy ran for their lives.  
  
".....Greeeaaaat", said Piotr before giving Sabertooth a wave, "hello Mr Creed".  
  
Sabertooth gave a low, dangerous growl. As strong as Piotr was, he couldn't help but feel more than a little bit terrifed for his life. The cat-like mutant stepped forward, his eyes narrowed.  
  
"My Niece is pretty much the only family i got left", he said, "the only one i WANT ta be around, anyway. So i'm more than a little....protecive of her".  
  
"Da...she's lucky...to..have you", said Piotr, watching uneasy as Sabertooth circled him.  
  
"So, here's an early warnin'", said Sabertooth with a growl, "you hurt her, even a LITTLE an' you'll have a new address. The scrap heap! Are we clear?".  
  
"Crystal", said Piotr with a nervous laugh, he could fight Sabertooth...right?...he hoped.., "but...we are really not dating..honest".  
  
"Good", said Sabertooth, stalking away, "i got me some buisness ta take care of".  
  
With that, he was gone.  
  
"......Oooooohhhh Sabertooth's mad at you", said Remy, poking his head out from around the corner from which he had been listening with Pyro.  
  
"Thanks for the help, comerades", said Piotr sarcastically.  
  
"Any time!", said Pyro cheerfully, "you ever want someone to flee in terror rather than save your skin, i'm your guy!".  
  
"I will keep that in mind".  
  
****  
  
At the Xavier Insitute for gifted youngsters, everyone was going through their morning routines. Rogue and Kitty had got into another argument and were currently sitting at oposite ends of the breakfast table. Kurt was trying to complete his history homework, while trying to take the phone off Jamie so he could talk to Amanda. Jamie, however, wasn't about to give it up, as, he had 'the same right to speak to HIS girlfriend as Kurt did his own'. Kurt, however, disagreed, and the insuing fight had resulted in paper, brimstone and random Jamie clones to be scattered around the room. Bobby had decided it would be hilarious if he froze everyone's drinks into their cups. However, he pushed it too far when he froze Logan's morning cup of coffee. Every now and again, the Ice-making mutant's screams could be heard echoing through the Mansion. Through all of this chaos, Hank sat quietly, humming to himself as he read the morning paper. It was a highly tuned skill he was quite proud of, for he would rather be oblivious to the carnage than a part of it.  
  
~Hank~  
  
Oh well....he'd TRIED.  
  
~Yes, Charles?~  
  
~Could you please inform Sam to get off the roof before he breaks his neck, and while you're at it, remind Ray that eletrical sockets and electrical powers do not mix~  
  
~Yes, Charles~  
  
~And have you seen where Logan locked up Bobby?~  
  
~Yes, Charles~  
  
~......Are you even listening to me?~  
  
~Yes, Charles~  
  
~What did i just say, Hank?~  
  
~Yes, Charles~  
  
There was a telepathic sigh and the Professor vanished from Beast's mind. Beast could have done a little dance. He'd done it! He'd WON! He'd made the Professor leave his mind. Whooooo!  
  
~I heard that~  
  
Awww....crap.  
  
~PLEASE go check on my missing students~  
  
~What about Logan?~  
  
~He rode off on his motorcycle~  
  
~Storm?~  
  
There was a telepathic snort. Hank gave a defeated sigh.  
  
~Fine i'll go~  
  
With that, Hank got up with a sigh, wondering exactly at which point he became the only responsible Instructor in the entire complex.  
  
****  
  
Meanwhile, on a hilltop just outside of Bayville Tabby waited by a tree. She paced up and down, tapping her fingers on her crossed arms.  
  
"Well?", came the voice of a figure hidden in shadows.  
  
"They haven't become suspicious yet, sir", replied Tabby, her eyes flashing a strange colour as she spoke, "what do you want me to do next?".  
  
"Stay where you are", said the figure, "don't move or do anything out of the ordinary until i tell you, you understand?".  
  
"Completely, Sir", replied 'Tabby', "and how is the real Tabitha Smith?".  
  
"She's doing well in her cell", said the figure with an evil chuckle, "she gave up screaming and trying to blow her way out a few hours ago. I'm glad, she was giving me a headache".  
  
"I still say you should have let me kill her", muttered 'Tabby', "i haven't killed in SUCH a long time".  
  
"You'll get your chance", growled the figure, "now go, before they wonder where you are".  
  
'Tabby' gave a nod of her head and left, leaving the figure to give an evil grin before disapearing into the shadows.  
  
****  
  
Mwhoahahahahhahahaha. Such unknown questions already, non? Well, it'll be a whiiiiile before they are revealed, because i'm THAT evil. I can't tell you what will happen durning this fic, but i hope you'll like it. I explore characters i haven't explored before and everything. Yup. 


	2. Plots and Projects

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "If you find a mate in life, you should be loyal. In your case grateful, now get away from me".  
  
****  
  
***  
  
Chapter 2 - Plots and Projects  
  
*****  
  
The next morning, even if technically it WAS morning when she went to bed, Sidney fell out of bed. At some point while she was asleep, she had changed back to her normal form, and thus her hair was now a wild bushy mess...not that it wasn't EVERY morning mind you. She gave a heavy sigh, showered and dressed before slumping downstairs. In the kitchen, Freddy was trying to get the deceased waffle machine to work.  
  
"Morning Sid", he said, not looking up from where he was poking the machine.  
  
"Nugh", replied Sidney, sitting down at the table.  
  
"Ewww", said Freddy, descovering what had caused the waffle machine to disrupt, "HOW does Toad get his slime INTO this?".  
  
Sidney pulled a face.  
  
"Don't know, don't care", she said moodily, "probably did it when he was with Wanda the Wonderfull".  
  
Freddy winced.  
  
"Sid..it's been ages, you should have, you know, moved on by now", he said, "i mean, what about Piotr?".  
  
"Me and Piotr AREN'T dating", said Sidney with a frustrated sigh, "geez why can't people understand that...and i am TRYING to move on. But...ugh".  
  
"And this is why i'm glad i'm single", said Freddy with a wise nod, "less hastle".  
  
"...Not helping, Freddy", said Sidney, "you DO realise that asks for revenge, right?".  
  
Fred arched an eyebrow. He was used to Sidney coming out with bizare comments and threats of revenge, but as seen as he had done nothing, he wanted to see what his punishment was.  
  
"I'm gonna get you a date!".  
  
Freddy watched her for a long time, before snorting and falling on the floor in a laughing fit.  
  
"WHAT?", said Sidney, her tail flicking in anger.  
  
"Me...a date?", managed Freddy, picking himself up and trying to speak in- between laughs, "that's like saying you'll make Pietro have a bad hair day".  
  
"I heard that!", came Pietro's voice from somewhere in the house, "hex on thee for such vile curses!".  
  
"See?", said Freddy, gesturing in the dirrection of Pietro's voice.  
  
"Awwwww", said Sidney, "please?. I'm tired of seeing Todd and Wanda all lovey dovey. I need a project before i rip their eyes out. You can be my project".  
  
"....Now your starting to scare me", said Freddy.  
  
"No, i can find someone who'll date you, really!", she said, "i mean, you ARE a geniunely nice, sweet, gentlemanly type guy".  
  
"...Who weighs 976 pounds", added Freddy.  
  
"A minor technicallity", said Sidney with a wave of her hand, "i can get a date, so can Todd, AND Kurt, so you should be a sinch. You're neither furry, have a tail nor smell".  
  
"...I'd take that as a compliment", said Freddy, "but...i'm not sure...".  
  
"Too late, deal is done, poject is set", said Sidney quickly, "all we have to do is alter your image, maybe a wardobe change and PRESTO!".  
  
With that, Sidney jumped up, grabbing Freddy by the arm and dragging the 'unmovable' Blob out of the kitchen door.  
  
"...Help", said Freddy weakly as he was dragged away.  
  
*****  
  
Meanwhile, Ororo and Forge were enjoying a rare moment of peace and tranquillity that didn't involve either teenagers, crazy animals or aliens (or all three) disrupting them. They had taken the oportunity as a blessing and had escaped to the park for a walk.  
  
"Count yourself lucky you don't live in the mansion", said Ororo with a tried sigh, "Kitty and Rogue were STILL at war when Bobby admited he had stolen Kitty's book. And Roberto has a hate campaign against Jean's new 'clean study area' project".  
  
"Teenagers hate everything", pointed out Forge, "unless it involves something they shouldn't be doing"  
  
"Warlock is not like that", pointed out Ororo.  
  
"Give him time", said Forge with a sigh, "the Insitute demons will soon drag him down to their dark level of....evilness".  
  
Ororo gave him a playfull swat across his head for that comment.  
  
"Be nice to those 'demons'", she scolded, "they're my pupils".  
  
"Oww", said Forge, rubbing his head, "you know, you're the most violent girlfriend i have ever had".  
  
"Oh, i'm you're girlfriend now?", said Ororo with a cryptic smirk, sauntering off, "what out of two?".  
  
"You're meaner too", pouted Forge, "and you pick on me".  
  
Ororo kept walking, quietly flicking her hand to the side. Before Forge had chance to react to this tiny gesture, he found himself hung upside-down on a small wind a few feet in the air, right in front of a grinning Storm.  
  
"That might be true", she said, "but i can also do that".  
  
"....Ok...i'll give you that one", said Forge, "can you let me go now?...the blood is rushing to my head".  
  
Storm contimplated this.  
  
"Nope".  
  
"Awww come on, don't make me put evil to your list too", said Forge, making a vain attempt to escape from the small whirlwind, only suceeding in spinning around in the air a few times.  
  
"Having problems, Honey?", teased Storm with a giggle.  
  
"Okay, evil is on the list", said Forge, "right along with deception, violent mood swings and...".  
  
Storm gave him an upside-down kiss, shutting him up instantly.  
  
"That too", said Forge after she'd pulled back.  
  
"Ok, i'll let you down now", said Storm, clicking her fingers and letting Forge fall to a crumpled heap on the floor.  
  
"You're gonna be the death of me", said Forge with a sigh, standing up, "but, hey, at least i'll go happy".  
  
****  
  
"Tabby, come on tell me what's wrong, i'm your BEST friend, remember?"  
  
Amara crossed her arms and frowned at Tabby, she'd been acting weird for a LONG time now...it was starting to creep her out. They were sitting out in the ground of the Institute, Amara having stopped Tabby in her tracks as she tried to leave. She wanted answers, and she wanted them NOW.  
  
"I'm just fine!", retorted Tabby back, trying desperately to find a distraction, she found it when she saw Warlock heading towards them, happily pulling a little red wagon behind him.  
  
"Hi Warlock!", said 'Tabby' quickly before Amara could question her anymore, "err....what's with the wagon?".  
  
"Hello Self-friends Tabby and Amara", said Warlock, "Self is taking Self- Pet Max for a walk".  
  
Tabby and Amara blinked, before glancing behind Warlock, where Max was lying in little red wagon, sleeping.  
  
"...'Lock", Amara started, carefully, "Max isn't technically walking".  
  
"Self-Pet Max is an old dog", said Warlock with a shrug, "Self thought he'd like to get out and see the trees and get fresh air".  
  
"Yuh...huh", said Tabby, "he's...awfully still, is he dead?".  
  
A look of sheer terror sweapt across the young aliens face. He bent down and gave Max a poke. After a few minutes, Max's tail gave one half-a-wag.  
  
"Self-Pet Max is still alive", said Warlock happily, "Self was scared for a moment there".  
  
Max opened one eye and slowly got out of the wagon. The old dog stopped dead when he saw 'Tabby'...then he did something he had never done before. His hackles raised, her bared his almost toothless mouth and he growled, low and threatening.  
  
"...Nice dog", said Tabby with a nervous laugh, backing away slowly.  
  
Warlock blinked a few times in confusion.  
  
"Self is...confused", he said, "Self-Pet has never acted so hostile before....".  
  
"Oh it must have been after i petted my friend Bernie's chipmunk", Tabby lied. "he must smell that..heh heh".  
  
Warlock wasn't one to argue...not that he was all that clear WHAT a chipmunk actually was. Max's growling became much more fierce as he advanced on 'Tabby'. Warlock gave a defeated sigh and grabbed hold of the dog's bandana collar, opening the door to Forge's truck and putting him inside.  
  
"Now Self-Pet stay there until Self-Carer returns from Courtship-Party with Self-Carer-Life-Mate", said Warlock sternly, before walking into the mansion.  
  
"....A what now?", asked Tabby confused.  
  
"He means when Forge come back from his date with Storm", said Amara, rolling her eyes, "geez Tabby, i thought you'd have learned a BIT of Warlock-speak by now".  
  
"AMARA!", came Scott's voice from inside, "Lockheed's chewing on your perfume bottles again!".  
  
"That little no good lizard!", snapped Amara, "that's IT! Kitty or no, i'm making a Guchi bag out of you, Dragon!".  
  
With that, Amara stormed into the house, leaving Tabby alone. 'She' gave a sigh of relief and leaned on Forge's pick-up truck. BAD mistake. Max jumped up against the window, with more life than the old dog had shown in a long while, and started to bark and snarl.  
  
"Having...poochy problems?".  
  
Tabby started, before sighing as a 20 year old man wandered out from the shadows.  
  
"You could say that" 'she' said, crossing her arms, "how can it sense me?. It shouldn't be able to!! I have no...".  
  
"We KNOW", answered the man, "but we don't know how it can sense you...no matter, it can be dealt with".  
  
With that, he opened the door to Forge's truck, letting Max jump out. The dog got his feet for a minute before snarling at both people. The man rolled his eyes before giving Max a flick on the ear. Max blinked once before crumpling to the ground.  
  
"Bad Doggie", said the man with a chuckle, flinging the unconcious form of Max over his shoulder, "no treat"  
  
"....What are you gonna do to the dog?", asked 'Tabby', a slight hint of concern in her voice.  
  
"None of your beezwax!", replied the man, "you just carry on with your mission. That's ALL the boss wants you to do"  
  
"Fine..." muttered Tabby, giving Max one last look before sighing and walking back into the mansion. The man grinned and disapeared into the dense forest on the grounds of the Institute.  
  
***  
  
"MMMMM, now Beryll and Jack Stapleton were brother and sister and posed as a married couple...no..that's not right".  
  
Kitty frowned, looking through her notes...this was confusing.  
  
"I hate this book, hate it, hate it, hate it!", she said, glaring at said book.  
  
"I'm sure Sir Doyle would have loved to hear those sentiments", said Hank from the other end of the table, "it is a very good book, once you read it through. By the way, it's the other way around".  
  
"Oh", said Kitty, "still, it makes no sense!. I mean..."  
  
She was cut off when Storm wandered into the kitchen, humming happily to herself. Kitty, who was looking for a distraction from homework anyway, decided to take full advantage of Ororo's current state of bliss.  
  
"Ororo had a daaaaattee".  
  
"Yes, yes i did", said Ororo smugly, "and i enjoyed it".  
  
Kitty pondered this for a second before sighing.  
  
"Man, it's only funny if your embarassed by it", she said, "i'm gonna go pick on Scott and Jean some more".  
  
With that, she got up and stormed out of the kitchen, leaving Logan and Hank to grin at their fellow instructor as she picked up an apple, smiling happily to herself. She paused, realising she was being watched.  
  
"What?".  
  
"Ya look like you slept with a coat hanger in your mouth....or ya doin' an impression of the Cheshire Cat", said Logan.  
  
"I know", said Ororo, still grinning, "i can't help it. It's like everytime i see him it's just......"  
  
She let out a deep, happy sigh.  
  
"The best feelings are those that have no words to describe them", quoted Hank.  
  
"Mmmm?", said Ororo.  
  
"In non-Hank-speak, you got it BAD", said Logan.  
  
"Oh", said Ororo, spacing out, "okay".  
  
"She's done it again", said Logan, giving the Weather Witch a poke, "Storm! Hey Ororo, the kids are burning down your garden".  
  
"That's nice, Hank", replied Ororo, obviously her mind was elsewhere.  
  
"I'm L-O-G-A-N", said Logan, "that's Hank, the big blue fuzzy guy! How can you confuse us?!".  
  
"Yes", replied Ororo.  
  
Hank sighed.  
  
"Give it up, Logan, she's out of here", he said.  
  
"And to think, she used ta be the dependable one", muttered Logan.  
  
****  
  
*Rubs hand with glee* Am i driving you all mad with my 'Tabby' yet? Oh i hope i am. Mwhoahahahaha. Do review, until next time. 


	3. Hearts Change

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "On the perversity meter of 1 to 10, you just hit a 73!"  
  
****  
  
Incidentally, i remind everyone that this is sorta AU, as such my Magneto did not 'die'....not that i've seen the episode that it happens in anyway... *sniffle*....bet he's a horseman.  
  
***  
  
Chapter 3 - Hearts Change  
  
****  
  
"I'm telling you dude, she winked at me".  
  
Roberto rolled his eyes. All he had wanted was a peacefull walk by himself, but nooooooo! Bobby had tagged along, the guy couldn't take a hint if it was smacked across his face.  
  
"Bobby, she didn't wink at you, she had an eye infection", he pointed out, "it was all puffy and red...or didn't you notice that?".  
  
"Oh, shut up, what do YOU know?", said Bobby, "you haven't had a date since....hey, you never HAVE had a date!".  
  
Roberto cleared his throat uneasily.  
  
"I have my reasons", he said sadly,before noticing Warlock stapling 20 posters on one tree, ".....poor guy".  
  
Bobby followed Roberto's line of vison and sighed.  
  
"Awww, come on, lets help him", he said as they approched the young alien, "hey 'Lock...how's it going?".  
  
Warlock gave a small, saddened sigh.  
  
"Self misses Self-Pet terribly", he said, "Self is..distraught. Self-Carer Forge said that maybe if Self puts up these printed pictures, someone will find Self-Pet, and bring him back to Self".  
  
Bobby and Roberto blinked as they saw every tree in the park covered with about 30 lost pet posters...each.  
  
"....Okay, Warlock...i'm gonna show you how to spread stuff around a weeeee bit", said Bobby, "but first, lets go to the mall. I know how we can jazz up these posters REAL good, make them eye-catching".  
  
Warlock grinned, giving Bobby a hug.  
  
"Thank you Self-Friend Bobby", said Warlock.  
  
"You coming Roberto?", asked Bobby as he tried to pry the alien off him.  
  
"Actually, i'm going to pass", said Roberto, "going to just...carry on walking for a bit".  
  
"Your loss", said Bobby with a shrug, as he headed off towards the mall.  
  
"Self-Friend Roberto looks...sad, upset, withdrawn", said Warlock, "is there anything Self can do to make Self-Friend feel better?".  
  
"Mm?", said Roberto, the shrugged, "no, i'll be fine, 'Lock....just remembering, is all".  
  
Warlock blinked, before shrugging and heading after Bobby...he wanted to get his dog back.  
  
****  
  
"Sidney...can we go home and forget about all of this?....please?", asked Freddy weakly as Sidney wandered around the mall, still dragging him along with her, "you won't find anything my size, honest".  
  
"Who said i was getting you clothes?"  
  
"You did.....five minutes ago", replied Fredy dryly.  
  
"Phhhft, details", said Sidney with a wave of her hand, "appearance doesn't matter anyway".  
  
"You're just saying that because you realised that nothing will fit me", pointed out Freddy.  
  
"Nope, not true", said Sidney, pulling him to the food court, "look at all these free ladies, just waiting for a nice guy to come and swoop them up".  
  
"Let him", said Freddy, "i'm going home".  
  
"STAY - PUT", said Sidney with a growl.  
  
Freddy considered making a break for it...but she could probably run ALOT faster than he could. He gave a defeated sigh and stayed where he was.  
  
"Good", said Sidney, "now, i'm gonna go ask a..few...".  
  
She trailed off into silence. Freddy blinked, folowing her line of vison to where Piotr and Kitty walking across the other side of the mall....hand in hand. Freddy turned to look at Sidney, who sighed softly.  
  
"I already knew", she said quietly for Fred's benifit, "he told me last night...that's why i was out so late, telling him all the things she liked...stuff like that".  
  
"But......you like him still, don't you?", asked Fred.  
  
Sidney gave a nochalant shrug.  
  
"That doesn't matter", she said, "Kitty grabbed him first...no biggie. We're still good friends".  
  
"You...gonna be okay?", said Freddy, putting a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I'll be fine", said Sidney, unconvincingly "....just dandy"  
  
******  
  
After yet another 'phone-battle' with Kurt, Jamie had walked away victorious, and was currently talking with Gina. Kurt frowned from the other side of the room,, Jamie had CHEATED. That he had, a wall of mulitples surrounded the main Jamie, seperating Kurt from the phone with a living barrier. He COULD just port in the middle...but he'd let Jamie finish talking.....he didn't want to get grounded again.  
  
"I can't believe Bobby would advertise that Forge would give a twenty thousand dollar reward for anyone who just SAW his dog".  
  
Kurt blinked as Hank and Logan walked in.  
  
"Yes...well he did", said Logan with a slight chuckle, "Forge says his phone hasn't stopped ringing for hours"  
  
"I had nothing to do vith it!!!", said Kurt quickly, "completely inocent!!!".  
  
The two adults blinked at him.  
  
"Oooookay", said Logan, "but Bobby isn't...and Sam decided he'd 'help' by flying past ALLLL the windows of that huge appartment block and stick a poster on each one so people could read it from the inside".  
  
Hank shook his head with a sigh.  
  
"First Ororo, now Samuel...i'm telling you, something is making all of our responsible residents turn the other way", he said, "i do hope not it's not catching".  
  
"Until i see the Professor in a conga line, i'll have hope for this place", said Tabby, walking past with a slightly manical giggle.  
  
"Oooookay", said Kurt, backing away, "you're slightly more deranged than usual, Tabby".  
  
"Nope, i'm just in a good mood, Kurt", said Tabby with a wink, before sauntering off.  
  
"Did she just call you Kurt?", asked Logan, "what happened ta 'Blue'".  
  
"I don't know", said Kurt, "she hasn't flirted vith me for ages, thankfully....but she hasn't blown anything up either".  
  
"Boom Boom hasn't caused a major explosion?", asked Hank, his eyes bogging, "oh dear....it's making the responsible ones into care-free luantics and the care-free lunatics into responsible ones".  
  
"I don't vanna be responsible!", screamed Kurt in a panic.  
  
*BAMF*  
  
".....You brought that one on yourself, Henry", Hank said to himself with a sigh....Kurt would really have to learn the meaning of the term 'speculation'.  
  
***  
  
Sidney sighed as she headed to the front door of the Brotherhood house. Freddy had managed to escape her by hiding in the food court, so she had to cancel her 'romance lesson' and defeatedly walk home. She wasn't in the mood for fun now anyway....man, did EVERY guy she fell for HAVE to fall for someone else? Life did sucketh. As she opened the door and headed inside, it got just that LITTLE bit worse.  
  
"Hello, Miss Cagney".  
  
Sidney paused, before noticing a figure sitting in the living room.  
  
"Magneto....what are you doing here?".  
  
"Actually, i'm looking for your Uncle", said Magneto, "he's been....slacking off in his duties as of late, and i was wondering where on Earth he keeps running off to".  
  
"Well, as you can see, he isn't here", said Sidney, "i haven't seen him for ages either..so that makes two of us".  
  
"And you have no clue where he is?".  
  
"Uncle Vic never tells me where he's going", said Sidney, "he like the freedom to just...go".  
  
"Well he'd better START showing up", said Magneto, standing up, "oh tell my son to have the team ready by nine tonight. I'll send some orbs to pick you all up".  
  
Sidney paused, flicking her tail in confusion.  
  
"Ok.....for what?".  
  
"Does Pietro tell his team ANYTHING?", said Magneto with a frustrated sigh, "i would have been better sending Gambit in. You are all having an organised attack on an Anti-Mutant organisation".  
  
"An...attack?", asked Sidney, blinking, "what do you mean?".  
  
"We go in, we burn their headquarters to the ground", said Magneto, "how hard is it?".  
  
"What if there are people inside?".  
  
"Then there will be a few less mutant-haters in the world", said Magneto remorseless.  
  
"But...we can't go about hurting inocent people!", said Sidney, "no matter how anti-mutant they are....".  
  
"That is not for you to decide", said Magneto, "you are part of MY team, and as such, you follow MY orders. If you have a different opinion, then leave. You're here by your own free will".  
  
"Unlike Piotr", said Sidney with a snort.  
  
"I'll chose to ignore that coment", said Magneto darkly, heading for the door.  
  
"I'm not going on that misson", said Sidney as he was leaving.  
  
"Then you need to THINK about which side you're on", replied Magneto, stepping out of the house and closing the door behind him.  
  
****  
  
Okay, before the Lancitty lynch mob comes to get me, i will proudly hold up my 'i love Lancitty' badge....be patient my friends, be patient. Do review. Until next time... 


	4. Into the Gloom

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "And since I am dead I can take of my head to recite Shakespearean quotations"  
  
*****  
  
Do i love my reviewers? You BET i do!  
  
****  
  
Chapter 4 - Into the gloom  
  
***  
  
The Brotherhood of Mutants stared the the note left pinned to the the TV. It was short and to the point. ~I have packed my bags and left. I'm sorry. Don't try and find me, Sidney~. No explaination, no sign of where she was going...she had just...gone. The boys were too numbed to speak, but Wanda, on the other hand, was a different story.  
  
"I can't believe her", she snapped, "as soon as something goes past her liking, she up and leaves!".  
  
"That's not true!", said Todd, "she....she musta had a good reason fer leavin'".  
  
"Oh STOP defending her", said Wanda, the lights of the room crackling, "she was just USING us as a place to squat and keep her off the streets until she finds her next meal ticket!".  
  
"Sidney's not like that!", said Todd, "i KNOW her, better than any of ya. She would only leave if she HAD to".  
  
"Oh please, how many times has she left before?", said Wanda, shaking her head, "she left the X-Men to come here, she left here for Avalon, she left Avalon for here, and now she's leaving here again!".  
  
"The question is", said Lance, stepping inbetween the two's argument, "where's she goin' now?".  
  
"Not Xaviers, that's for sure", said Pietro, returning with the phone, "or the Acolytes, just contatced both father and Xavier...they haven't seen her".  
  
Todd gave a small whimper.  
  
"Awwww man, i hope she's okay", he said, shaking his head, "what if she's been attacked..or. is sleepin' on the streets...or..or".  
  
"Oh why don't you just date her again?!", snapped Wanda, "if you care so much!".  
  
With that, she stormed upstairs and slammed the door to her bedroom shut.  
  
"But...Wanda..i'm just worried", shouted Todd upstairs in the vain hope she would hear...or rather listen, "i still love you".  
  
He sighed sadly when he got no answer. He turned to look desperately at Fred, Pietro and Lance.  
  
"We gotta find her"  
  
***  
  
Meanwhile, the cat-girl in question shifted her shoulder bag on her arm, her beloved guitar tied firmly on her back. She looked down forlornly at the manhole cover. When mutants had nowhere to turn...there was only one place FOR them to go. She took a deep breath and reached down to pull the cover off.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if i were you".  
  
Sidney gave a growl, spinning around to see Ray walk silently out of the darkness.  
  
"What are YOU doing here?", she asked with a hiss, "how did you find me?".  
  
"I overheard the Professor talking to the Brotherhood on the phone", replied Ray with a shrug, "i know the score...figured this is where you would go".  
  
Sidney gave a sarcastic clap.  
  
"Well good for you", she said, "now if you excuse me..."  
  
She headed back to the manhole, only to have Ray walk in front of it.  
  
"Wait!", he said, "if you go down there, it'll be hard to come back, to be out in public again"  
  
"You survived well enough", said Sidney, crossing her arms.  
  
"But.."  
  
"Look, Kitty, who i THOUGHT was my friend stole Piotr from me, before there even WAS a 'me and Piotr'. I just realised i don't believe Magnutso's ideas, i tried the X-Men, it didn't work. There's no way i'm going back to Avalon...i'm running out of options here, so just stand aside or be MOVED aside".  
  
Ray narrowed his eyes, before giving a defeated sigh and moving away.  
  
"Don't say i didn't warn you", he said.  
  
Sidney gave a nod shifting the manhole aside and jumping down inside.  
  
"Do me a favour and don't tell them where i am", she said, looking up.  
  
"Never saw you", replied Ray.  
  
*****  
  
Back at the Institute, 'Tabby' was sitting in the Danger Room control room, looking at all the buttons. Oh the fun and destruction these puppies could cause!!! She gave a heavy sigh as a small cominucator, recently added to her wardrobe, disguised as a belt-buckle, started to blip. She pressed it.  
  
"Yeah?".  
  
"New plan, get out of there, go down to the tunnels".  
  
Tabby blinked.  
  
"The..but, sir...", she said, "i'm RIGHT in here....the information i could gather..."  
  
"Now", he said, "the ...other mission can wait, we have a nice window of oportunity here. Meet me in the usual place in an hour, you have a brand new mission".  
  
With that, the comincator went dead, Tabby gave a sigh and walked out of the Danger Room...but not before stealing a plotted plant from the table.  
  
******  
  
Sidney was greatfull for her feline vision as she wandered through the tunnels in silence. Where the heck WAS it? Surely she should have run into SOMEONE by now?  
  
"Hold it right there".  
  
And here we go. Out of the shadows stepped Calisto, the long staff she carried with her held ahead of her, her one eye staying firmly on Sidney.  
  
"I...i've come to join the Morlocks", said Sidney, with more bravado than she felt, "i know Evan...he's down here, right?"  
  
Calisto waited for a second.  
  
"Spyke", she called into the darkness, "can you speak for her?".  
  
Suddenly, a small flash of light made the tunnel ever so slightly brighter. Sidney gave a squeak of shock as a figure walked out of the shadows. She KNEW it was Evan...but only because Calisto had called out his codename...otherwise, she would have never recognised him. He was now covered in armor plating and spikes. One of his spikes slightly jutted from his arm, and it was the tip of this which was lighting the tunnel. He blinked when he saw her.  
  
"Sid?".  
  
"Evan?", said Sidney in a small voice, her ears flat on her head.  
  
Evan cleared his throat.  
  
"Yeah, i know i look like something from a good B horror movie right now...but yeah, it's me", he said, "what are you doing here?".  
  
Sidney gave a sad sigh, lowering her gaze to the ground.  
  
"I left the Brotherhood", she said quietly, "...i have nowhere else to go".  
  
"Sssssshe can go to Xavierssss", said Caliban leaning on a wall behind Calisto.  
  
"Stop being inhospitable Caliban", said Calisto, rolling her..errr..eye, "i swear, if it was up to you, we'd have no Morlocks in here at all!".  
  
She turned her attention to Evan.  
  
"I take it you will speak for her, then?", she asked, "she won't bring us any danger?".  
  
"Yeah, Sidney's okay", said Evan, "in fact, she'd probably be a great help down here".  
  
Calisto gave a nod, then offered Sidney a smile.  
  
"Welcome to the Morlocks", she said, before walking back into the darkness, "Evan, show her to the Alley. I still need to check out the other signature Caliban found".  
  
"I ssstill don't think we can trussst her", said Caliban pointedly, "not that anyone lissstensss to me anyway".  
  
"Well, aren't you just a little ray of sunshine?", said Sidney, shouldering her bags again.  
  
"Oh don't mind Caliban", said Evan, "he just has no 'people skills'".  
  
Caliban muttered under his breath before heading after Calisto. Sidney chuckled to herself before following after Evan.  
  
"Hey, gotta say, love your new look", she said, "all...err...spikey".  
  
"That's an understatement", said Evan with a chuckle as they entered a lit up tunnelway.  
  
"Well, well, well, wonders never cease down here, do they?"  
  
Sidney stopped in her tracks as she heard a familiar voice. Standing at the mouth of the entrance to the Alley was Doppleganger, Scaleface sat a little way off, cocking her head to the side in slight interest at this newcommer.  
  
"What's SHE doing down here?", said Sidney with a growl, dropping her bags and advancing on Dop, Evan quickly putting himself between them.  
  
"Whoah ladies", he said, "we're supposed to be civil down here".  
  
"Screw that", said Scaleface, "i wanna see them rip each other apart! Whoooo!".  
  
"I took a good review of my life, Sidney", said Dop, "and like you, i found that i didn't belong anywhere and i needed time to think. It's amazing what clarity one gets down here".  
  
"I don't believe you", snarled Sidney, "all the destruction you caused..."  
  
"I walked AWAY, remember?", said Dop, "and y'know, what, i'm GLAD i did. I was TIRED of fighting as much as YOU are!".  
  
"So just calm down, huh?", said Evan with a nervous laugh, "Calisto doesn't like fighting down here".  
  
"Fine", snapped Sidney, "but i'm keeping my eye on you, Doppleganger".  
  
Doppeleganger gave a nod of her head, before walking into the Alley.  
  
"Awwww poo!", said Scaleface, walking after her,"i wanted to see some blood!!!!".  
  
".....Well, that was interesting", said Sidney, blinking.  
  
"Don't mind them", said Evan, "Dop came to us a while ago now....she really has reformed Sid. This place is about forget the past, burrying it, and not digging it up".  
  
"Oh and you're not BURSTING to ask me how everyone up top are doing?", asked Sidney, a sly smirk on her face.  
  
"Oh...well that's different", said Evan, "you're gonna have to tell me how everyone is".  
  
"She can do it tomorrow, Evan", said Calisto, walking up to them, "she needs to get some sleep. We've already found our other newcommer. Two in one day...funny, huh?".  
  
"Where's the other one?", asked Evan.  
  
"Resting, he was pretty tired", replied Calisto, "Caliban, would you be so kind to show Sidney here to her quarters?".  
  
Caliban looked like he'd been asked to walk across a volcano barefooted, he muttered a little under his breath before heading into the Alley, motioning Sidney to follow.  
  
"Sooooooo", said Sidney chattily, "you're the guy who sense other mutants. That's a pretty nifty power, i mean, you're never lonely!".  
  
"I like to be alone", asnwered Caliban, "alone isssss ssssafe".  
  
"...Okey dokey", said Sidney, ""So, where do i sleep?"  
  
Caliban pointed to one of the holes in the wall. Sidney blinked at it, then looked back at Caliban.  
  
"No, seriously, where do i sleep?".  
  
"I'm sssorry", said Caliban snidely, "there'sss no mint on your pillow...oh wait, you don't HAVE a pillow".  
  
"You know....you're mean", said Sidney, "and you have poor people skills".  
  
"Oh no", said Caliban flatly, "how bad do I feel? Welcome to the Morlock way of life. Got a problem? Go back topssside, where you belong".  
  
"You saying i can't hack it down here?", said Sidney with a growl, "well, you are mistaken, you mishapen freak of nature. I'll prove you all wrong! Hah!".  
  
With that, she hopped onto her bed, wincing. Okay it was a hole in the wall, but she could do this......DAMN it was cold. She gave Caliban a glare, before closing her eyes. Caliban raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Three, two one", he said.  
  
Sidney started to fidget. Caliban rolled his eyes and walked off, leaving her try and find a comfortable spot that just didn't exist.  
  
****  
  
YEAH BABY! Sidney's with the Morlocks! I tend to neglect these guys a little in my fics, but they will be in this one big time! Whoot, dance with me now!...Ahem...i'll stop that now. Do Review. Until Next time..... 


	5. Family Issues

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "Whats Mole's story?" "Trust me on this one- you don't wanna know. Audrey, don't tell him. You shouldn't have told me, but you did, and now I'm telling you- you don't wanna know"  
  
**** Pixie Flyer - Ahh Sid can only stay in a feline form for a limited amount of time, so if she fell asleep in a form, by the time she woke up, she would have shifted to her natural form *see chapters 1-2*.  
  
****  
  
Chapter 5 - Family Issues  
  
****  
  
Sidney awoke in the tunnels with a groan. EVERY muscle in her body ached. She yawned and stretched before padding off to the main gathering-area of the Alley. Evan glanced up from where he was sitting eating breakfast with a little girl and a guy who looked...kinda like a lizard. He smiled and waved her over to them.  
  
"Morning Sid!", he said cheerfully, obviously, he had got used to the mind numbing COLD, "sleep well?".  
  
"Yeah, like a log", said Sidney, "a petrified one".  
  
"You'll get used to it", replied the lizard-like guy, "the first nights are always the roughest".  
  
"Oh this is Lucid", said Evan, pointing at the lizard-guy, then at the little girl, "and this is Torpid".  
  
Torpid gave Sidney a small shy wave, before going back to hiding behind Evan.  
  
"She doesn't speak", explained Evan.  
  
"Oh", replied Sidney, flicking her tail, "well...at least she's nice than Caliban.  
  
"EVERYONE'S nicer than Caliban", pointed out Lucid, "even Scaleface is nicer than Caliban".  
  
"I'll say" said Evan, then smiled at Sidney, "so, how's everything up top?".  
  
Sidney chuckled.  
  
"Letsee, we're being bullied, hunted and abused by flatscans", she said, "Principle Kelly would like to see us all wiped off the face of the Earth, oh and everyone seems to have a date but me".  
  
"Oh, normal then", said Evan, ducking to avoid a claw-swipe, "How's Auntie O?. Is she doing okay?".  
  
"I'll say", said Sidney with a chuckle.  
  
Evan paused. That was NOT the response he was expecting.  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
Uh oh.  
  
"You...don't know about her and Forge..do you?", said Sidney blinking.  
  
"Her and Forge? WHAT HER AND FORGE?!!!!!", said Evan, standing up.  
  
Sidney cleared her throat.  
  
"Well, they are..errr kinda, sorta an...", she winced, "item"  
  
"WHAT?", said Evan, starting to pace, "that is wrong, sick and wrong!!!!!".  
  
"Errr...Evan?", tried Sidney, "they ARE both adul...."  
  
"I don't care!", said Evan, "no one dates my Auntie, especially not little inventor people who speak seventies lingo!!!!!".  
  
"...Isn't that for Storm to decide?", asked Sidney, crossing her arms.  
  
"Hah!", said Even, "my poor Auntie O?. I'm gonna go stop him before he breaks her heart into a million pieces".  
  
"I really don't think Forge wants to....".  
  
But Evan hadn't listened, he'd already stood up and stormed out.  
  
"Well.....", said Lucid, "that went well".  
  
*****  
  
"Sidney!", shouted Pietro as he ran through the park, before stopping on a hill, thinking for a second...oh it was worth a shot, "Sidney, Sidney come home!".  
  
Nothing. He sighed, leaning on a tree, glancing at a missing pet picture...heeeey wasn't that Max?...Huh. It was then an idea came to him, and he sped off to the Mall.  
  
"'Have you seen our cat?. She is a tabby with some black fur. Answers to the name of Sidney. We miss her very much. Reward offered. Contact the Brotherhood Boarding House with any information'".  
  
Lance looked up from the poster Pietro had handed to him.  
  
"You're going to try and get Sidney back with a missing pet ad?".  
  
"Yeah", said Pietro, as if it was the BEST idea, ever, "i mean, no ones gonna want to find a lost mutant....but a lost pet....".  
  
"I hate to admit it, but he's right", said Todd, "besides, anything is worth a shot".  
  
"I am NOT walking around Bayville putting up lost pet ads for HER", said Wanda, sitting down definatly, "go do it yourselves, see how much i care!".  
  
"....Wanda you're taking this really hard", said Pietro carefully, "it's okay to admit you're worried about her".  
  
"Worried about her?!", said Wanda with a indignantly, "hardly. I'm GLAD she's gone. Finally i can date Todd without having her jealous stares all the time!".  
  
The boys glanced at each other before sighing sadly...it was obvious that Wanda believed there could only be ONE female in the Brotherhood house...and she was her.  
  
****  
  
After she had eaten her meagre breakfast, Sidney had padded off to explore the tunnels, meeting various Morlocks along the way. There were the sisters, Feral and Tornn, Cybelle, Tommy, Annalee...and that was just in an hour. Apparently, a few were on missions to secure some food and provisions. Sidney sighed, coming to a stop in a large hollow of the sewers, which had tunnels parting four different ways. She sat down to just...think.  
  
"Hi there".  
  
She blinked, turning around to see one of the most bizare people yet. He was completely white...including his eyes, and had no hair. He gave her a friendly smile.  
  
"Hi i'm Morph", he said, giving her a wink.  
  
"Hello, Morph", said Sidney, rolling her eyes before moving away.  
  
"I...didn't quite catch your name", said Morph, following after her.  
  
"That's because i didn't throw it", said Sidney.  
  
"Awwww, don't be like that", said Morph, coming to a grinning skid in front of her, "i'm a newbie here too, arrived last night. Kinda got the cold shoulder from everyone else. Particually that night-of-the-living-dead- wannabe Caliban".  
  
Despite herself, Sidney gave a giggle. Morph grinned at this result.  
  
"You expect him to start walking around going like this...".  
  
Morph suddenly changed shape, shifting into a dead-ringer of Caliban. He grinned before walking around like a zomie-his hands outstretched in front of him.  
  
"Brainsssss, i need brainssssss", he said, matching Caliban's voice perfectly.  
  
Sidney laughed shaking her head.  
  
"You are one...bizare individual", she said.  
  
Morph changed into his true from and gave her a wink.  
  
"Hey, i'll juggle kumquats if you tell me what your name is".  
  
Sidney gave a defeated sigh.  
  
"Sindey", she said, "Sidney Cagney".  
  
"GET OUT!", said Morph, "MY name's Kevin Sidney".  
  
"Sid and Sid, huh?", said Sidney, arching an eyebrow, "i can hear the jokes now".  
  
"And what's wrong with a few laughs?", asked Morph with a grin.  
  
"....I haven't found alot worth laughing about at the moment", said Sidney with a sigh.  
  
"Weeeeelllll, you came to the right place", said Morph, "if anyone can cheer you up, Miss Cagney, it's me".  
  
****  
  
Meanwhile, in the Xavier Insitute for Gifted Youngsters, Bobby and Sam were facing their 'punishments' for the trick they played with the lost pet posters. Forge had tied them both to chairs, and left them locked in a room while 70's tunes played continuously. They boy's screams for mercy were quite a sound to hear.  
  
"And to think", said Storm with a chuckle, "they feared Logan's punishments".  
  
"I believe in physcologial torture", said Forge with an evil grin, tapping his head, "lasts much longer".  
  
"And you say I'M evil", she replied, rolling her eyes, "anyway, how's the Max-free household?".  
  
"Sad and lonely", replied Forge, "i've never seen Warlock so bummed out".  
  
"I was talking about you", said Storm, "he WAS your dog".  
  
Forge gave a small shrug.  
  
"Yeah...i miss him", he said with a sigh, then saw Storm's raised eyebrow, "okay..i miss him alot".  
  
Damn, despite trying to be one of the more mysterious mutants in Bayville, keeping alot of himself hidden....that woman could still read him like a book, without trying.  
  
"That's better", said Storm, giving him a kiss on the forehead, "i'm sure he'll come back eventually".  
  
BANG.  
  
Speaking of coming back....Both glanced up as the doors to the Institute SLAMMED open, revealing a none-to-happy looking Evan.  
  
"Evan!. You came home!", said Storm, before blinking, "what is it?".  
  
Evan pointed at both Storm and Forge, trying to find the right words.  
  
"You...and you...", he said, "no no, bad...wrong!".  
  
"....I think he's trying to tell us something", said Forge.  
  
"YOU!", said Evan, shooting off a spike which shot past the inventor, embedding itself into the wall next to him, making Forge jump out of the way pretty quickly, "you!. What gives you the right to date my Auntie?".  
  
"EXCUSE ME?", said Storm, crossing her arms, "i am an adult, i can date who i want!".  
  
"Not him!", snapped Evan, "he's.......he's FORGE!".  
  
"Yes...that i am", replied Forge, calmly, "and..."  
  
"Stay out of this you!", said Evan, before looking back at his Aunt, "it's....icky!".  
  
"Icky?", said Storm, raising an eyebrow, "you want to take away my happiness for the reason of it being 'icky'?".  
  
"LOOK at him", said Evan, waving a spiked hand in the direction of Forge, "he looks MY age. You'd be accused of cradle-snatching if you were to date him openly in public".  
  
"'He' is in the same room", said Forge with a sigh, "'He' can hear every word".  
  
"Evan, you and i BOTH know that however old Forge looks, he's OLDER than that", said Storm, "he's older than ME, you know?"  
  
"......What a way to kick me while i'm down", said Forge, sighing, and still being ignored.  
  
"I don't care!", said Evan, "he's Forge....it's just...CREEPY!".  
  
Forge gave a squeak, ducking as a barrage of flaming spikes narrowly missed his head.  
  
"Come on Evan, be reasonable about this", he said, "you never used to hate me".  
  
"That was before you started putting your tounge down my Aunt's throat!", snapped Evan, shooting off more spikes, "what the heck possesed you to do that?. Did you PURPOUSELY wait until i was out of the picture to 'make your move'?".  
  
"Evan!", snapped Ororo, thunder starting up in the sky, "stop trying to impale my boyfriend!".  
  
.....THERE was a sentence a person should never have to use.  
  
"I really think you're reading this the wrong way", said Forge from where he hid behind a pillar, "and i DIDN'T wait until you left. You can't choose when you fall in love with someone, you know?".  
  
Evan paused in mid spike-throw.  
  
"You....love her?".  
  
"You...love me?", squeaked Ororo, the nasty weather stopping instantly.  
  
Forge poked his head out from behind his makeshift shelter before standing up and walking over to them.  
  
"That's what i've been TRYING to say", he said to Evan, "i love her....".  
  
He paused, turning to smile at Storm.  
  
"I love you", he said softly, taking her hands in his.  
  
Ororo smiled back.  
  
"I love you too", she said softly.  
  
Evan watched this before giving a frustrated sigh.  
  
"Great, now i feel like a jerk", he muttered, storming off angrilly.  
  
****  
  
Whoot another chapter done. In case you're wondering, Morph is a character from the Exiles comics, and i love him to bits, tee hee. Do review. Until next time... 


	6. The Inevitable Angsty Chapter

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "Creatures of Night brought to light!"  
  
****  
  
Awww you guys who R &R are the best!  
  
*** Chapter 6 - The Inevitable Angsty Chapter  
  
*****  
  
Piotr was happily sitting in the Acolytes base, ejoying a quiet moment of relaxation. But, as they often are, it was interupted very quickly, by Pyro waving his hands frantically.  
  
"Hide, hide, hide!!!!", the Austrailian squeaked, pointing at a broom closet that Piotr couldn't fit in if he TRIED, "before he makes it here!!!".  
  
"Before WHO makes it here?".  
  
"Raowwwrrrr!".  
  
"Too late", said Pyro, "hey...errr....nice knowing you Peety. Can i have your novelty wig collection?....I'll take your silence as a yes...BYE!"  
  
With that, Pyro ran off as Sabertooth entered the room, growling angrilly. He stalked right up to Piotr, grabbed him by the shirt front and slammed him against the wall.  
  
"Where is she?", he growled.  
  
Piotr changed into his metal form in a defence instinct, so Sabertooth had to settle for pinning him to the wall by his throat.  
  
"Where is who?", asked Piotr, "i am not knowing what you are talking about!".  
  
"Sidney!", hissed Sabertooth, bareing his teeth, "i just heard from the Brotherhood brats that she ran off. The fat kid said somethin' about you dumping her for the valley girl".  
  
"I told you before, Comerade, Sidney and i were not dating", he said, "and i am just now hearing of her running away. I am sorry, but i do not know where she is being".  
  
Sabertooth narrowed his eyes.  
  
"If she's gone because of you, i'll tear ya limb from limb", he threatened, "metal case or not. It'll be fun openin' ya like a tin'a beans".  
  
With that, he rather roughly released him. He gave another snarl, before padding out, the sound of a motorbike being revved up ouside then driving off anouncing his depature. Piotr stood up, changing into his flesh form before sighing and sitting heavily on one of the chairs. What if she HAD left because of him. She'd seemed alright with him and Kitty before when he told her about it, even supportive. He'd have to find her, or end up being tossed to the lions...literally.  
  
******  
  
Evan sighed from where he sat on the mansion roof. He'd climbed up from the sky-window in Ororo's attic. He'd often used this way to get up and away from everything. Not that it lasted that long. He closed his eyes as he heard the sound of someone climbing onto the roof. He turned, expecting to see his Aunt, suprised instead to see Forge.  
  
"Can i sit down?", he asked.  
  
"It's a free contry", said Evan moodily, "pull up a roof".  
  
Forge sighed, sitting down next to Evan, glancing out over the grounds, which eventually streched out to the cliffs and sea.  
  
"Wow, you get a good view from here", said Forge conversationally, only to get a glare from Evan.  
  
Forge winced before giving a deep sigh.  
  
"Evan, this really isn't a shot at you, no matter how much you think it is...".  
  
"I don't", said Evan, "but you conviently waited until i had left for the Morlocks before you started dating her".  
  
"Evan, i didn't even know how much i cared about her until...", Forge sighed, "look, i'm not trying to push you out of her life, if that's what you think".  
  
Evan gave a snort.  
  
"I'm not", said Forge, "what would that gain me? Evan, your Aunt is CRAZY about you, nothing i could do or say will ever change that. And i wouldn't WANT to change that".  
  
"Yeah, right", muttered Evan, "you'd get her all to yourself. No Evan the third wheel".  
  
Forge shook his head.  
  
"Man, you are one messed up kid", he said, "i don't WANT Ororo all to myself. There's too much of Ororo to handle as it is. I don't want you out of the picture, Evan, honest. But...you gotta get over whatever it is you don't like about me dating your Aunt...'cause i'm not planning on letting her go anytime soon".  
  
Evan was silent for a while, considering this.  
  
"I don't have to call you 'Uncle Forge', do i?", he asked with a defeated sigh.  
  
"Err...no".  
  
"Good, 'cause i'm not gonna".  
  
****  
  
Sidney sighed from the small cove she had hide herself in, strumming quietly on her guitar. All hopes of a future with this had been shattered with the current view on mutants......though it didn't mean that she'd stop playing. Her fingers automatically started playing a tune she adored, and she found herself singing quietly.  
  
"For a friend, for a love to keep me safe and warm".  
  
She stopped herself, a painfull pang from losing Todd in the first place hitting home. She sighed and started to strum out a different tune.  
  
"I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned", she sang, "I believe you can't appriciate real love 'til you've been burned"  
  
She closed her eyes as she sang, not noticing someone leaning on the tunnel opening.  
  
"I believe the grass in no more greener on the other side, I believe you don't know what you got until you say goodbye".  
  
"You're pretty good at that".  
  
Sidney stopped instantly, turning to see Morph smiling at her. She gave an anoyed growl, putting her guitar down.  
  
"I thought i'd got rid of you", she said.  
  
"Nah, i'm like a leech", said Morph, giving her a wink, "very hard to get rid of me once i've stuck on. Besides, i promised i'd cheer you up".  
  
"I'm not in a 'cheery' mood right now", said Sidney, "so give it up while you're ahead".  
  
Instead, Morph sat down next to her.  
  
"Wanna talk about it?".  
  
Sidney closed her eyes, curling her tail around her feet.  
  
"I'm just....missing what i had once", she said, "..it hurts to remember".  
  
She paused, looking up at him.  
  
"Who did you leave behind to come down here?".  
  
Morph changed into a very 'father-like' figure.  
  
"Just my dad....but we don't get along", he said, then sighed, changing back into his neutral form, "my mom died when i was thirteen, lung Cancer".  
  
"Oh....i'm sorry", said Sidney, "i lost both my parents...wasn't that old when my father died, my mother died about two years ago....why don't you get along with your dad?".  
  
"He wanted me to take a serious approach on life after mom died", said Morph, changing into a clown, a sad one, but a clown none-the-less, "so i did the oposite, he got nastier, i got more humerous....and then i ended up like this".  
  
Sidney nodded, keeping silent for a while.  
  
"Well, i think it's nice", she said, "it's always good to have a joker around. You should meet Kurt, you two would get along great".  
  
"I'm a one man, act, baby", said Morph, giving her a wink.  
  
Sidney chuckled, before giving him a weak smile.  
  
"Thanks, Kevin", she said, "you really did make me feel better".  
  
With that, she lent up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Awww sucks, glad to be of service, M'Lady", said Morph, changing into a kight and giving her a bow.  
  
Sidney laughed gently, shaking her head.  
  
"You crack me up", she said, rolling her eyes in amusement before walking off down the tunnel, "come on, lets go throw water balloons at Caliban"  
  
****  
  
Back at the mansion, Rogue was trying her best to ignore a bouncing Kitty.  
  
"Kitty, will you STOP already?", she growled.  
  
"But i'm so HAPPY!", she said, "Piotr's soooooooo sweet! I love not being single again!".  
  
"Yeah.....whoopie", replied Roberto listlessly.  
  
"Ok, what is UP with you?", said Rogue, "you've been a depressed ball of...depression for days. You're gettin' worse than ME".  
  
"I don't wanna talk about it", said Roberto, not moving from where he was lying face-first on the couch.  
  
"It'll make you feel better", chimed in Kitty.  
  
"No, it won't".  
  
"You KNOW a'h have ways of findin' out, right?", said Rogue, making a show of slowly removing a glove.  
  
Roberto pondered this and his options...nope the door was too far away and with the blinds closed he couldn't get nearly enough sunlight to power up. He gave a defeated sigh, shutting his eyes.  
  
"Fine, it's just...this week", he sighed, "is the aniversary of someone who died...that i cared about alot".  
  
Rogue and Kitty exchanged a glance, before looking back at Roberto.  
  
"Who?", they asked in unison.  
  
"Juliana", said Roberto, his eyes still closed and his head hung low, "she..she was my girlfriend back in Brazil. She died saving my life".  
  
"Oh", said Rogue, "...a'hm sorry, Robbie".  
  
"Yeah...it must be tough", said Kitty.  
  
"Yeah, it is", said Roberto, standing up, "now if you don't mind, i'm going to go eat Ice-Cream until i pass out".  
  
True to his word, he disapeared into the kitchen.  
  
"It's always the quiet ones", said Kitty.  
  
"What?", said Rogue, blinking.  
  
"It's always the quiet ones that have the whole...inner torment going on", sais Kitty, "or the overly-happy ones".  
  
"....Yeah...you're right", said Rogue, blinking, "huh....well most of the mutants around here must have OODLES of depressive stuff like that. We should start an agony aunt programme".  
  
*****  
  
Yeah,.....i probably bummed you all out. But the majority of you saw all of season 4, especially the ending, so i'm getting my own back. Mwhoahahahahahhahaha! Ahem. Do review. Until next time.... 


	7. The ways of the teenager

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "Never EVER go out and tell someone to buy spinning tops of doom"  
  
****  
  
And after that load of angst last chapter, lets have some comic relief before we go back to the story, hmmm?  
  
***  
  
Chapter 7 - The ways of the Teenager (TM Ray Crisp)  
  
****  
  
A few days past and there was still no sign of Max...to make matters worse, Tabby had also mysteriously vanished, leaving only a note explaining that she was visiting her mother in Rehab and wouldn't be back for a while. Warlock was still pretty depressed over the whole 'Max-issue' and it was this sadness that had made a few of the teens decide to act. As soon as Forge was on one of his visits (which were a little more fequent now he was dating Ororo, everyone had to admit), Bobby, Ray and Kurt cornered him.  
  
"Can Warlock stay here tonight? He needs cheering up, badly", said Bobby.  
  
Forge considered this....his well behaved alien teenager with THOSE three?.....Warlock would never be the same again.  
  
"I don't know.....", said Forge.  
  
"It means you'll have an EMPTY house", added Kurt, "vith no one else but..."  
  
"Okay", said Forge quickly, "that's a plan, a GOOD plan"  
  
"What's a good plan?", asked Ororo, walking up and eyeing them all suspiciously.  
  
"Warlock staying here", said Forge, "all night, not in MY house...".  
  
Ororo blinked a few times, before grinning.  
  
"Yes, i agree, very VERY good idea".  
  
As the pair walked off, Ray blinked.  
  
"Did i miss something?"  
  
*****  
  
"Come ON Tommy, you can do better than that!"  
  
Sidney paused in her normal patrol of the tunnels, turning into a wider, more open space in the sewers. There, Morph had made himself into a volley ball next..his head poking out of the middle. By some miracle, the Morlocks had found a ball, with which Tommy (a bizare looking girl who's skin and hair had a rainbow effect) and Artie (an even bizarer pink-skinned young boy) were playing volleyball. Sidney arched an eyebrow and took a seat next to Evan and Torpid.  
  
"What are they doing?", she asked.  
  
Torpid put her hands into fists and made jabbing motions.  
  
"They're having a tournament", Evan translated.  
  
"Oh boy", said Sidney, "joy and fun....Caliban's gonna throw a hissy fit".  
  
As Artie bopped the ball across the Morph-net, Tommy sneezed, suddenly making herself two-dimensional and falling to the ground. Artie bounced up and down, an image of a victory party appearing above his head. The ball meanwhile, bounced off the wall and headed back to Morph, who changed into his natural shape, grabbing it in his hands.  
  
"See, i said i'd liven this place up", he said cheerfully.  
  
Tommy sat herself up, and popped back into her true form, Artie dancing around her, showing an image of him, king of all things volleyball!  
  
"Okay, okay, don't rub it in", she said, crossing her arms.  
  
"What on Earth...", hissed Caliban, walking in.  
  
"HEY, pale, tall and gruesome!", said Morph, "wanna play some V-Ball?"  
  
Before giving Caliban time to answer, Morph threw the ball at him, it bouncing off his head and landing on top of Evan. The ball made a hissing sound, before deflating. Artie hung his head, a tombstone image appearing.  
  
"Oh, don't be down, kiddo!", said Morph, "i'm SURE we can grab another ball. I'll just pop up to the surface and get you one!"  
  
"We jussst can't go waltzing around in the open. Ta, la, la!", said Caliban, waving his arms in the air for epmthasis.  
  
Sidney gave a snort.  
  
"Ohh say Tra la la again", she said, "from you, it's funny".  
  
Caliban gave her a look that would freeze a volcano.  
  
"Fine, go ahead, be hunted, ssssssee if i care", he said.  
  
"Awwww, you love us, really, Cal!", said Sidney, flinging an arm over his shoulder.  
  
"I hate you with the fire of a thousssand sssunssss", said Caliban, brushing off her arm.  
  
"Oooooh somebody's craaaankyyyy", sang Morph, "i know how to cheer you up. Lets play charades!"  
  
Caliban blinked, very slowly, before turning and walking away.  
  
"How about muscial chairs?", tried Morph, "hide and seek?....oh you're no fun. You're just bitter"  
  
Caliban replied with a snort. His life had certainally become a lot less peacefull since Sidney and Morph had arrived on the scene.  
  
****  
  
Back at the Mansion, Hank arched an eyebrow as he saw Ororo tip-toeing towards the door, a night-bag slung over her shoulder.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
Ororo stopped dead, turning to give him a smile.  
  
"....Out?".  
  
Hank arched a brow as Ororo gave him the best inocent person expression she could.  
  
"You're going to see Forge, aren't you?!!!".  
  
Ororo thought fast.  
  
"...Nooooooooooo", she said, "i'm going to....see a movie".  
  
"With an overnight bag?", said Hank, pointing at it.  
  
Ororo looked at her bag, then at Hank.  
  
"It's a really long movie".  
  
"You lie!", said Hank, shaking his head, "Tut tut, Ororo, what a bad example you set for the children".  
  
"Screw the children!", said Ororo, "i'm a woman, i have needs!".  
  
Hank backed away sightly before chuckling and patting her on the head.  
  
"Of COURSE you do", he said, slipping a mug into her bag without her noticing, "you go and....have fun".  
  
Ororo gave him a suspicious look before shrugging and leaving. Hank gave a slightly evil giggle, oh this was going to be FUN!.  
  
****  
  
Meanwhile, Warlock was sitting in the common room with Kurt, Bobby and Ray. They had place in front of him every possible thing a teenage boy could wish for. Amongst which, there was a games console, a few of Bobbys 'special' magazines, and a whole pack of Gut Bomb burgers, which Kurt was eyeing hungrilly.  
  
"Okay, little Warlock, dude", said Bobby, "you need to learn how to be like us...before you become a drone".  
  
Ray flung his arm around Warlock and moved his other arm through the air.  
  
"The ways of the teenager".  
  
Warlock blinked, looking at Ray's hand.  
  
"Query: What are we looking at?"  
  
Kurt sighed, shaking his head.  
  
"Ve are looking at a time vhen you can be a teenager, vhen you can be.....rebelious".  
  
Warlock gasped, backing away.  
  
"But...but Self doesn't WANT to be rebelious!", he squeaked, "Self-Carer is good to Self, why would Self wish to disobey him?".  
  
"Because", said Bobby as patiently as he could, "you are a teenager, and that is what teenagers do. You rebeled aginst your REAL father".  
  
Warlock gave him a flat look.  
  
"Self's father was a physcopathic killer", he said, pointedly, "there is a SLIGHT difference".  
  
Kurt squealed happily, patting Warlock on the back.  
  
"SARCASM!", he said proudly, "that's more like it! You're better already!".  
  
Warlock raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Self was being sarcastic?", he said, then gave a small smile, "Self feels...elated..happy".  
  
"That is the feeling of newly found freedom!", said Ray, "go you!".  
  
****  
  
Forge smiled as he closed the oven door again, 10 more minutes and he'd have a wonderfull meal. And to think, he had actually COMPLAINED when his mother taught him how to cook, hah!. Little did he know what a goldmine it would eventually be. He glanced up as he heard the door knock....weird, Ororo HAD a key. He walked over to it opening the door...no one was there. With an arched eyebrow, he stepped outside slightly to see what he heck was going on....if it was those damn kids again....He didn't get very far from the front door when he was tackled by Ororo, who had been hiding around the corner, giving him a kiss.  
  
"Hey!", said Forge in shock, "you nearly gave me a heart attack...hello, by the way".  
  
"I know", replied Ororo, giving him a hug, kissing him again.  
  
"You never want to talk anymore. There's no 'hello, Forge, how was your day?'".  
  
"Hello, Forge, how was your day?", said Storm before kissing him again.  
  
"It was good", said Forge with a smirk, "just got better".  
  
"Good" replied Storm, "We done talking now?".  
  
"Yes, Dear", replied Forge, "but there IS a meal wait..."  
  
"It can wait", said Storm dragging him inside and closing the door.  
  
Unbeknownst to the pair, Ororo had been followed. A large blue furry head popped up from the bushes. Hank grinned and sat back to wait for a while, after a few minutes, he got up and walked across the lawn, stopping and knocking on the door. No answer. He gave it a good few pounds, before knocking 'shave and a haircut' continuously. THAT worked. A few seconds later a none-too-happy-looking Storm answered the door in her nightgown. Hank gave her an inocent smile.  
  
"Oh i'm sorry", he said, "did i wake you two up?".  
  
"Nooooooooo", said Ororo through gritted teeth, "what do you want?".  
  
"I believe i dropped my periodic table mug into your bag by mistake", said Hank sweetly.  
  
Storm looked at him as she she wished him to die a thousand fly deaths. She narrowed her eyes and disapeared into the house, returning a few minutes later with a mug.  
  
"There", she hissed, "now LEAVE. Go, go NOW!".  
  
"Okay, okay, seesh", said Hank, rolling his eyes and walkng away, wincing as the door slammed shut.  
  
He hid in the bushes for a liiiittle while longer before giving a childish giggle and going to the door again, kocking once more. It wasn't long before Forge appeared, clad in a T-Shirt and boxers looking as angry as Ororo had done.  
  
"What is it NOW, Hank?", he said as patiently as he could.  
  
"Sorry, been a mix up", said Hank, grinning, handing the cup back to Forge, "this is Charles' mug, not mine".  
  
Forge looked at the mug, then back at Hank.  
  
"....Okay then", he said, "Goodnight, Hank".  
  
As he started to close the door, Hank put a furry foot in it, stopping it.  
  
"So, how've you been?", he asked, grinning like a demented schoolkid, "got any new patents recently?".  
  
Forge looked at him, unblinking.  
  
"I will PAY you to leave".  
  
"Oh, don't mind me", said Hank, "just come for a little chat is...all?".  
  
He glanced up at the sky, some VERY angry thunderclouds were forming. He gulped and backed away from the door.  
  
"Okay, okay, i'm going!", he said, "you don't have to be so blantantly mean about it!".  
  
With that, Hank walked away grinning when he heard the door close again. This was SO much fun. He hadn't had this much fun since he was in school. He waited a few more minutes, then went back to the door, knocking it. This time, he got no answer, well, there was an easy solution to THAT.  
  
"I know you're in theeeerrreee", he said in a sing song voice through the letter box.  
  
There was an electronic beeping sound from a garden knome sitting on the lawn. Hank blinked at it...that was...odd. Natural curiosity took over from common sense and Hank walked over to it, giving it a poke. Nothing happened. Hank furrowed his brow and poked the knome again, pressing in it's hat. The knome's eyes glew red for a second, before lazer beams shot out from them, scanning the lawn. Hank screamed and leapt into the air and over the beam, landing by the door and pounding on it frantically.  
  
"Forge, turn the security system off!", he said through the letter box, "come on, HELP!!!".  
  
"Sorry can't hear you", came Forge's voice, "i'll just turn on the sprinkler system".  
  
Hank blinked. The sprinkler system watered the lawn. HE was on the lawn.....he was in trouble.  
  
"No, no, no, Forge don't do that", he begged, "i'm SORRY, i'll leave you and Ororo alone now, i promise!".  
  
Too late. The spinkler system started up, turning off the lazer-beam knome, but soaking Hank's fur through. It was then that Hank realised the knome wasn't the problem. A tiny thundercloud hovered above his head. He winced at it.  
  
"I suppose i deserve this", he said, yelping as a tiny thunderbolt hit him, "OOWWW!", quit it!!"  
  
Zzzzaaaap!  
  
"I said QUIT IT!", said Hank, trying to run away from the little cloud, "stop it or i'll tell Charles where you REALLY went tonight".  
  
His bluff worked, the cloud disipated. He sighed, trudging back to his car and getting in, soaking the seat in the process, well, that was JUST great. Muttering to himself about the injustices of the world, he started her up and drove off back to the Institute.  
  
****  
  
Don't ask me where that chapter came from..i really don't know. That was just some bizareness to give you a break from the story...okay to give me a break from writinbg the depressing serious stuff. Tee hee, it was fun! Do review, until next time.. 


	8. Love Grows

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "Fare thee well, mortal busboy"  
  
***  
  
Happy Guy Fawkes Night for those who celebrate it......uky horrible firewoks *shudders*.  
  
***  
  
Chapter 8 - Love grows  
  
******  
  
The next morning dawned on a much quieter Brotherhood house. With Sidney absent, there was alot less....bizareness going on...plus there were no longer the morning bathroom rights fights that she and Wanda would have. Freddy had got himself up early, and made himself an early breakfast, as silenlty as he could. He then grabbed a coat and snuck towards the door, not wanting to be...  
  
"Ooooh someone's dressed up"  
  
.....spotted. Freddy paused by the door, glancing at the handle. He could run....but Pietro would catch him...damn.  
  
"...Nowhere"  
  
"Uh huh", said Pietro, disbeievingly, "then why are you wearing good, CLEAN clothes?"  
  
"Because i'm going....", Freddy gave a sigh, "i'm going to see Rosemary"  
  
Pietro blinked.  
  
"And Rosemary is......."  
  
Freddy cleared his throat and said something under his breath. By now, this had attracted the attention of the rest of the house, who had all come out of their rooms to look at him curiously.  
  
"Didn't quite grasp that, Freddy", said Lance.  
  
"She's my girlfriend, okay?"  
  
The room went silent, before Pietro, Lance and Todd collapsed in laughter, rolling around on the floor.  
  
"Yeah, pull the other one!", said Todd, "it's got bells on it!!!"  
  
"You know, you can't go waving around an imaginary girlfriend, Blob", said Pietro, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, "because that would be a whole new level of looserness for you"  
  
"She's NOT imaginary", growled Fred, "she's real!".  
  
"Hey, guys, give him a break!", snapped Wanda, "he can have a girlfriend if he wants one, which none of YOU have right now! Go on Freddy"  
  
Freddy nodded a thanks to Wanda and left the house, the other guys blinking in shock.  
  
"Yeah, well i WOULD have a girlfriend if metal man hadn't stolen her!", said Lance, crossing his arms, "thanks for opening up a wound!"  
  
"I could have ANY girl i wanted!", defended Pietro  
  
"Yeah!", said Todd, then paused, "wait...Poopsie...aren't YOU supposed to be my girlfriend?"  
  
Wanda narrowed her eyes, before making a 'harumph' sound and stalking out of the room.  
  
"That....can't be good", said Todd.  
  
****  
  
Meanwhile, at the Xavier Institute breakfast table, Warlock was trying out his new 'attitude'. He had changed the shape of his hair, so it was now a punked up mowhawk and had given himself a tattoo of a snake on his arm (okay, so he morphed himself a tattoo..but it was kinda the same, right?). He was currently sitting with his feet up on the table, his arms crossed.  
  
"Feet off table, ALF", said Logan, walking in with a cup of coffee.  
  
Warlock instantly started to do as he was told, until Bobby shook his head. Warlock gulped, took a deep breath and looked at the table.  
  
"No".  
  
Logan very almost chocked on his coffee...Warlock was the GOOD teen, he did as he was told, without question. He couldn't have gone bad, he COULDN'T!!.  
  
"Beg your pardon?", said Logan, arching a brow.  
  
Warlock cleared his throat.  
  
"Self does not wish to takes Self's feet off the table", replied Warlock, not making eye-contact with Logan, "Self is comfy"  
  
Logan blinked again, before staring at Bobby in horror.  
  
"You brainwashed him!!".  
  
"Did not!", said Bobby, "he's become a real teenager is all!"  
  
"That's just......wrong", said Logan, shaking his head, "...you really are evil"  
  
"I didn't DO anything!", said Bobby, "i just...helped him along".  
  
Logan looked at him in complete and utter shock, then blinked as Storm walked in, humming happily to herself.  
  
"Good morning, everyone", she said cheerfully.  
  
"Ororo......", started Logan, before stopping himself, "no..no i don't think i want to know this one.."  
  
***  
  
"Got any threes?"  
  
Gambit was quiet for a very long time, before giving a defeated sigh.  
  
"Pyro...we're playing poker", he said, "not, Gambit repeats, N-O-T 'Go Fish'".  
  
"Go Fish?, okay!", said Pyro, picking up a card from the pile.  
  
Remy groaned, banging his head against the table, shifting his head to the side as he watched Piotr pace back and forth past the card table.  
  
"Mon Ami, you better stop before you bore a hole in de floor, non?", he said.  
  
Piotr turned his head and shrugged.  
  
"I am concerned for Sidney", he said, "i am not knowing where she is....she could be hurt"  
  
Remy blinked a few times.  
  
"Are you SURE you don't like her?", he said, "because it looks very much to Gambit dat..."  
  
Piotr narrowed his eyes, silencing the Cajun, before going back to his pacing.  
  
"Is he still doing that?", asked Jason, walking in and raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Heeeeeeyyyyy Jas!!!", said Pyro cheerfully, "want to play Go Fish? I'm beating Remy!"  
  
"Poker, we are playin' POKER!!!", snapped Remy.  
  
"See what a sore loser he is!", said Pyro in a not-very-whispering voice, "wanna play?"  
  
"..No thank you", said Jason, "last time i was foolhardy enough to spend time with you i had to be doused with flame-retardant chemicals"  
  
Pyro gave a giggled, flinging and arm over Jason's shoulder.  
  
"Good times, huh Jas?"  
  
"No", said Jason, brushing him off, "and don't call me 'Jas'".  
  
"Okay, Jas", said Pyro, getting bored and starting to make a house of cards.  
  
"Are you being sure that you cannot find her?", asked Piotr desperately.  
  
"I TOLD you", said Jason with a defeated sigh, "i'm an Illusionist, not a physcic, my phsy abilites aren't strong enough to find someone..especially if we have no clue where she is"  
  
"Calm yourself", said Remy, patting Piotr on the shoulder, "Sabertooth is looking for her..and she's his niece, i t'ink she can survive on her own, non?"  
  
"Yes...", said Piotr, unsure, "but i still wish i could be doing something to help her"  
  
"And make sure that Sabes doesn't tear you into little bitty pieces", said Remy with a chuckle.  
  
Piotr was about to reply when manical cackling made the three mutants turn to see Pyro had set fire to his house of cards. Jason, Piotr and Remy blinked a few times, before Jason ever so calmly strolled off, grabbing one of the ten fire extinguishers in the room, and turning it on Pyro's 'burning house of cards'. Fires had become so commonplace in the Acolyte base...the group could put them out in their sleep...and often HAD.  
  
*******  
  
"All i'm saying is, we could REALLY use some sort of meals-on-wheels service down here. Call 1-800 SEWERSERVICE".  
  
Sidney rolled her eyes at Morph as they walked down the tunnels.  
  
"No one is ever gonna deliver food down here, Morph", she said, "you know, the fear of the freaky looking mutants?"  
  
"We're not freaky looking", said Morph, "we're the unique and interesting ones"  
  
"Can you be serious, even ONCE?".  
  
"Nope, seriousness is for losers", replied Morph, "i prefer to be happy and joyfull".  
  
Sidney blinked a few times.  
  
"Even in this dump?"  
  
"Even here, why a few twinkle lights, this place could be Buckingham Palace sweetheart", said Morph, waving his hands around.  
  
Sidney chuckled, shaking her head.  
  
"You are one of a kind, you know that?".  
  
"Well so are you", said Morph, giving her a poke, "nothing like a physcotic cat-girl to wake you up in the mornings".  
  
"Quiet you", said Sidney with a playfull growl, morphing herself into a tiger and knocking him to the ground.  
  
"Toushe", replied Morph, taking the form of a white tiger and taking a playfull swipe at her.  
  
Sidney gave the feline equivalent of a laugh, flicking her tail around before running off through the sewers. It wasn't long before Morph easily caught up with her, tackling her down and pinning her.  
  
"I win", said Morph with a grin, she and he changing back to their original forms at the same time.  
  
"Oh?", said Sidney, flicking her tail around his back, "and what do you win?".  
  
"This", replied Morph, closing his eyes and leaning down, giving her a soft kiss.  
  
"Mmm", said Sidney when he pulled away, "i was wondering how long it would take you to have the guts to try for my heart".  
  
"And did i win it?", asked Morph, arching an eyrbrow.  
  
"Maybe, i haven't decided yet", said Sidney.  
  
With that, she giggled, giving him a kiss on the nose before morphing into a housecat, squirming from under him and trotting away. Morph blinked before smirking and watching her go with a small sigh.  
  
"Morph".  
  
Morph paused, glancing up to see a shadowy figure standing in one of the tunnels. Morph gave a squeak of fear, getting to his feet and walking over.  
  
"Y..yes sir?".  
  
"How goes the search of the tunnels?", asked the figure, "have you found the weakpoints yet?".  
  
"J...Just give me more time, sir", said Morph, "the tunnels, heh heh, they're pretty long. Longer than a Blue Whales intestine, if ya' know what i mean?".  
  
"I am in NO mood for jokes", growled the figure, "just keep your eyes on your mission. Try to ignore....distractions, huh?".  
  
"Yes, sir", said Morph quietly, looking to the ground.  
  
"Good",. said the figure, "don't fail me, Morph".  
  
With that, he vanished into the shadows as quickly as he had appeared, leaving Morph standing alone.  
  
**********  
  
And another chapter down and dusted. Do reveiw. Until next time.. 


	9. Losing the lost

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "No matter what the species, men are men!"  
  
***  
  
Yey hoorah to my readers...i really don't say it enough, so i should now. LOVE YOU GUYS!  
  
****  
  
Chapter 9 - Losing the lost  
  
***  
  
Xavier sighed as he moved away from Cerbero. It had been a month since Tabitha had disapeared..he had called her mother, and found she hadn't been there once. Something was very wrong here...he couldn't pick up her mutant signature, which meant one of three things, she was either not using her powers, at all, someone was blocking the signal, or....he didn't want to think of possiblity number three. At the breakfast table, conversation had been a little morose. Depsite how wild she was...they were starting to miss Tabby, she added a whole lot of fun to the place, it wasn't the same without her.  
  
"Piotr still can't find Sidney either", said Kitty, "the Acolytes and Brotherhood have looked all over for her and haven't got a clue where she is"  
  
Ray coughed in his hand and fidgeted uncomfortably.  
  
"What's wrong with you?", asked Rogue, cocking her head at him.  
  
"Nothing, absoloutely nothing", said Ray quickly...a little TOO quickly.  
  
"Ray.....do you know anything about Sidney?", asked Kitty, then crossed her arms, "'cause if you do, you should really speak up, because the Brotherhood are sick with worry"  
  
"Ja, she's family...sort of", said Kurt, flicking his tail.  
  
Ray winced, great they were ganging up on him.  
  
"I promised i wouldn't say", he said weakly, then sighed, "she's with the Morlocks"  
  
"The Morlocks!", said Kitty, "why didn't i think of that sooner?!"  
  
With that, she stood up and headed for the door.  
  
"Where are you going?", asked Ray, blinking, "you..you can't do down there, they wouldn't let you in!"  
  
"I'm going to tell the Brotherhood", said Kitty, "they need to know where she is"  
  
Ignoring Ray's protests, Kitty left the house, heading for the Brotherhood Boarding house.  
  
***  
  
".....I suppose i'll have this..not that it does alot"  
  
Amara plodded ahead of her Chaperones, half-heartedly putting items in her shopping basket  
  
"Why are we here?", asked Forge, dully looking around the clothing store they were in.  
  
"Because Amara's missing her best friend and she needs cheering up", said Storm, "and nothing cheers Amara up more than shopping...even if it's not actually working"  
  
"Okay, let me re-phrase that", said Forge, "why am I here?"  
  
"Because you wanted to keep me company", said Storm, "and didn't want me to to watch a teenager in an emotional state alone, you said so yourself"  
  
"I did?"  
  
"Yes, we discussed it", said Storm with a nod, "i thought about bringing you, i decided it was a good idea, you followed"  
  
"Oh", said Forge, then sighed, "if anyone asks, i put up a fight"  
  
"Yes dear", said Storm, then looked over at Amara, who was sighing sadly at a Pashmena, "She needs a father figure, go talk to her".  
  
Forge blinked a few times, HIM? He was soooooo not a father figure.  
  
"No", he replied.  
  
Storm crossed her arms and tapped her foot.  
  
"Forge, Honey, Go talk to her", she said, giving a very dangerous false smile reserved for those about to be frazzled.  
  
"I don't want to".  
  
"FORGE!".  
  
Forge winced as he heard thunder rumble ominously.  
  
"You know...one of these days, i'll win one of these 'descusions'", he said, sloping off to Amara.  
  
"Yeah, that'll happen", said Storm with a snort, wandering off to another section of the shop.  
  
***  
  
Meanwhile, in the dark sewerage systems under Bayville, the Brotherhood, Piotr and Pyro were searching around for Sidney.  
  
"I'm telling you, the Sheila isn't here", said Pyro, a small ball of flame floating in front of him, keeping their path alit, "the Valley girl made a mistake"  
  
"Kitty DIDN'T make a mistake", growled Lance, "she wouldn't, i know her better than anyone, even YOU tin-man"  
  
Piotr rolled his eyes, Lance had been more than slightly testy with him all the time they were walking..it was getting a little tedious. If things weren't bad enough, Todd had been giving him daggers, blaming HIM for Sidney's disaperance.  
  
"It is not my fault", he said.  
  
"I'm not the one who ran off after someone else while still had feelings for me", said Todd.  
  
"It seems to me, that was exactly what you did", shot back Piotr.  
  
Todd narrowed his eyes, yeah, and now Wanda had gone to sulk in her room and refused point blank to come out.  
  
"Man, it's creepy down here", said Pietro, "i wish Freddy wasn't on an imaginary date with his imaginary girlfriend, we could have used him"  
  
"Well, well well, looks like we have intruders"  
  
The group paused to see Calisto walk out from the shadows, keeping her..err eye on them all warily. Scaleface was close behind.  
  
"What do you want here?", she said.  
  
"We're here to see Sidney!", saiud Pietro, zipping to the front, "and we're not moving until we get her!"  
  
Scaleface gave a low growl, making Pietro flinch.  
  
"I mean...please fetch her"  
  
"I'm already here", Sidney appeared the saem way Calisto had, Morph and Lucid following.  
  
"SID!", said Todd happily, "man, we thought we lost you!"  
  
"Nce to see you cared", replied Sidney flatly.  
  
"We can't have people keep coming down here, Sidney", said Calisto, "it isn't safe for the others"  
  
"Don't worry about it", said Sidney, "they were just leaving, right guys?"  
  
The others looked between them.  
  
"Sidney...are you not coming with us?", aksed Piotr.  
  
"No".  
  
"Come home, Sidney", said Todd, "please"  
  
"I AM home!", snarled Sidney, "and i have been treated alot better here than anywhere else, at least i don't have guys walking out on me down here!"  
  
Piotr cleared his throat sheepishly.  
  
"I did not know you felt that way about me", he said, "i honestly did not"  
  
"Well, i did", said Sidney, then added icily, "note DID, past tense...i found someone else"  
  
"You...have?", said Todd and Piotr in unison, blinking.  
  
"You have?", asked Morph, bewildered.  
  
"Yes, i have", said Sidney, moving to stand beside Morph, amongst the gathered Morlocks, "this is my home now, and this is where i'm going to stay, so you all might as well leave, it was a wasted journey"  
  
"But....Sid", started Todd.  
  
"GO!", snarled Sidney.  
  
The assembled Brotherhood and Acolytes looked at each other, before turning back and heading back the way they came. Todd stood to watch her for a second, pleading her with his eyes. When Sidney just looked away, he sighed and hopped after his team mates.  
  
***  
  
"Well i tried to talk to her, and she ignored me and went off to cry", said Forge as he wandered back to Ororo, "at least i tried"  
  
Well he HAD, it wasn't his fault his people skills had disintergated to a level where he couldn't hold a decent conversation with another person (other than Ororo) for longer than five minutes. He stopped dead when he saw Ororo had her head pressed up against a store window, cooing at the things in display. Closer inspection proved that said items were baby toys and clothes, which were making Ororo make very odd squeaky noises. That was enough to set alarm bells in Forge's head, not good, NOT GOOD.  
  
"Ororo......", he said carefully, "step away from the window"  
  
Ororo paused and cocked her head at a pair of tiny little baby booties  
  
"Awwwww", she said, "that is the cutest wittle thing ever!".  
  
Forge looked at the booties, then back at Ororo.  
  
"No".  
  
"Awwwww", said Ororo again, her voice going a decible higher, "but they are so...".  
  
"No!", said Forge, leading her away from the baby store, shaking his head, "no, no, no".  
  
"But..."  
  
"No".  
  
"I was not....."  
  
"Oh yeah you were, I know that look, still, no".  
  
"I was only looking", protested Ororo, "well, okay i was looking and gazing into a distant future"  
  
She gave another happy sigh, making Forge whimper.  
  
"Quit it", he said, "i'm gonna win this one"  
  
"That's what you think", said Ororo with a teasing grin, sauntering off.  
  
Forge blinked.  
  
"What does that mean?", he said.  
  
Storm grinned, she LOVED messing with his head, it was like a sport for her.  
  
"You're a genius, you figure it out", she said kryptically.  
  
Forge blinked a few times as Ororo headed off with Amara to the exit...what the heck?. Nope, he would NEVER undestand women.  
  
***  
  
Tee hee, why do i keep torturing Forge? I do not know, i guess it's fun, heh heh. Do review. Until next time.. 


	10. Rosemary

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "Oxygen's for losers"  
  
****  
  
Hey all, i appologise deeply for this chapter being so late.. filler chapters can be such a pain, no?  
  
***  
  
Chapter 10 - Rosemary  
  
***  
  
A few days later, Pietro Maximoff gave a bored sigh as he channel hopped. Of course, Pietro's version of channel hopping was making the channels blink by faster than anyone else could see, making the channels blend into one another seamlessly.  
  
"And on todays show..."  
  
"...no, Marcy, don't leave..."  
  
"....the cake in the oven any longer than..."  
  
"....fifty meters long in...."  
  
"...other news, doctors descovered that..."  
  
"...the kitten played with the yarn all day long"  
  
Pietro groaned, turning the TV off. Bored, bored, boooorrreeed!!. He glanced up when the doorbell rang, oh well, it might just keep him occupied if it was a salesman..he could see how long it would take him to make the guy run off crying. When he opened the door, however, it was VERY obvious this wasn't a salesman. Standing by the door was a beautifull red-headed girl. Her blue eyes studied Pietro for a moment before giving a smile.  
  
"Hi", she said, "i'm here for....."  
  
"Hi", said Pietro, dumbfounded, "i'm Pretty Girl.....i mean, i'm Pietro"  
  
He shook himself out of his state of shock to give her a leerly grin.  
  
"Pietro Maximoff, at your service my lovely lady", he said with a mock bow, "what does a beauty like you want around here, need a cup of sugar?"  
  
The girl rolled her eyes at him.  
  
"Errrr no", she said, "he warned me you'd be like this"  
  
Pietro blinked.  
  
"Who warned you?"  
  
"Freddy", said the girl, holding out a hand "i'm Rosemary"  
  
"Rosemary?", squeaked Pietro, backing away from her, "you're REAL?!!..and so so so hot....nah, you can't be Freddy's girl!"  
  
Rosemary crossed her arms, frowning at him.  
  
"Yeah, i'm real", she said, "and i am, as you so crudely put it, 'Freddy's girl'".  
  
"No way", said Pietro, narrowing his eyes in suspicion, "how much is he paying you to say this?"  
  
"He's not!", said Rosemary, "why would he be paying me to say the truth you egotistical little.....weasel!"  
  
"Oh...i see you've met Pietro".  
  
Freddy smiled as he walked down the stairs and headed to the door. Rosemary shoved past Pietro to give Freddy a hug. Leaving Pietro gaping like a fish for a while.  
  
"Told you she was real", said Freddy with a grin.  
  
"But but..she so...", Pietro stammered, "i..i haven't dated THIS one yet...how did that happen? I've dated EVERYONE in Bayville"  
  
"I moved into town a few weeks ago", said Rosemary, "Freddy was nice enough to help me find the mall. We got to talking and..well.."  
  
She hugged his arm happily. Pietro blinked, heck no, this was NOT happening!! This was some sort of sugar induced illusion, yeah, he'd eaten too many of those chocolate brownies again.  
  
"..That's scary", said Pietro, then smiled, "wouldn't you rather have ME show you around?. I can do it soooo much faster"  
  
"No thank you", said Romsemary, "i prefer to date guys i can snuggle up to. Come on Freddy, the movie'll start soon"  
  
As she led him out the door, Freddy gave Pietro a little salute, smirking. Pietro blinked as the door shut. He'd just been put down....for the Blob. Pietro screamed. He kept screaming until Todd moped past him and collapsed on the couch.  
  
"What's wrong with you, Frog-Boy?", he asked, "you just missed Freddy's hot girlfriend, oh so hot..it's not fair!!!"  
  
Todd blinked at him twice before sighing and crossing his arms.  
  
"All women do is just break your heart", he said, "they don't care, none of them do! They just rip your heart out of your chest and dance on it in front of you, DANCE!!!"  
  
"..Still peeved about Sid, huh?", said Pietro, arching an eyebrow.  
  
"And worse still!", Todd carried on, "Wanda won't talk to me!"  
  
"Awwwww, she'll come around, that's what Wanda's like", said Pietro, "she held a gruge over me stealing her favorite pen for....oh wait, she's still mad at me over that"  
  
Pietro paused.  
  
"Well...good luck, Toad", he said, Patting Todd on the shoulder and running off, leaving Todd to drown his sorrows in bad TV shows.  
  
*****  
  
Meanwhile, down in the Morlock tunnels, Sidney was trying to teach Artie how to play 'Paper, Rock, Scissors'. The kid wasn't too bad at it and, judging from the thought bubbles above his head, he was enjoying himself. Thye had entered their 'super, duper death-match showdown', when Morph apeared, chuckling as he leaned on the wall to watch them.  
  
"Hey, mind if i steal your sparring partner for a second?", he asked.  
  
Arite gave a mute giggle, gaving Sidney a wink and ran off.  
  
"If i didn't know any better", said Sidney, blinking, "i'd say that kid just 'said' something suggestive".  
  
"He's been hanging around Scaleface again", said Morph with a chuckle, before clearing his throat, "...actually, that was something i wanted to talk to you about.."  
  
"Uh oh", said Sidney, raising an eyebrow with a small smile, "do we have some issues, Mr Sidney?"  
  
"Oh...err, well...just about a few days ago...when the others came to try and get you back", stammered Morph, thankfull that he could use his powers to hide the fact he was blushing.  
  
"Go on", said Sidney, crossing her arms.  
  
"So....when you said you found someone else", Morph paused, "..did you mean it?".  
  
"No, i just wanted to get rid of my old team mates", said Sidney.  
  
"Oh", said Morph, visibly deflating.  
  
Sidney laughed, taking his arm in hers.  
  
"Of course i meant it", she giggled, "i'm a notoriously bad liar..ask Evan"  
  
"So you really want to be with me?", he asked, smiling.  
  
"Really really", said Sidney, leaning up and giving him a kiss, "who else can i have come with me to taunt Caliban?"  
  
"Which reminds me, i think he's due a taunt", chuckled Morph, "he's got off scott-free for days"  
  
"Well, that simply won't do", said Sidney, "lets see if we can make him scream this time!"  
  
****  
  
"But moooooooom"  
  
Kitty paced up and down the Common Room, talking to her mother on the phone. As she paced, she phased THROUGH Sam's legs, which were resting on the coffee table.  
  
"Don't mind me", said Sam dryly, "not like i'm resting or anything"  
  
Kitty didn't hear him, she was too busy arguing.  
  
"Well fine, yeah, whatever!"  
  
She slammed the phone down nto it's cradle, promptly breaking it into pieces.  
  
"Ooopsie", said Kitty sheepishly.  
  
"That's the fifth time that's happened this week", said Logan, crossing his arms, "and it's only Tuesday"  
  
"Sorry!", said Kitty, "i really, really am. I'll pay for it with my allowance and..."  
  
She paused at the sound of the door opening.  
  
"..Or i'll beg Forge to fix it"  
  
She vanishe dout of the Common Room and re-aperared a few minutes later, dragging Forge along. She pointed at the phone and gave her best 'sweet smile'.  
  
"Have you got a personal vendetta against phones or something?", said Forge, sighing as he started to fix the thing, AGAIN.  
  
"At least it keeps her from bakin'", muttered Loagn.  
  
"HEY!", said Kitty, then pouted, "no, i'm just mad whenether i talk to my parents. Mom's always laying down new rules since this whole 'mutant outing' thing happened...i can barely leave the house!!!"  
  
"All parents are like that", said Sam, not moving from his comfortable spot, "ma'h Ma' sure is".  
  
"Mine were the same when i was your age", said Forge, still working on the phone, "'Don't play that music so loud, Dont go to the Disco on a school night, Don't leave cystalic fusion rocket booster packs where people can trip over them'"  
  
Kitty blinked.  
  
"That...really didn't help"  
  
"Hey, it was worth a shot", said Forge with a shrug.  
  
There was suddenly a LOUD rumble of thunder.  
  
"Uh oh", said Logan with a snigger, looking at Forge, "what did you do THIS time?".  
  
"Birthday, Aniversary, Valantines", Forge counted off on his fingers, "nope, can't think of it...i don't THINK it's me....".  
  
"You are SO whipped!", said Logan grinning.  
  
"Rather whipped than frazzled", repiled Forge, finishing off the phone, "When you date a woman who controls the weather with her emotions, the words 'tread carefully' could NOT be more sacred".  
  
"Wtuusshh!", said Logan, making a whipping motion with his hand.  
  
"I HEARD THAT LOGAN!!!", came Storm's voice for somewhere in the mansion, "may i remind you, that you have metal bones with are good conductors of eletricity!!!"  
  
Loagn gave a whimper, cleared it over with a cough and promptly left the room to not-hide.  
  
****  
  
There we go, hopefully, there won't bee TOO long a wait for the next chapter, bad TF, laggined behind! Do review, until next time.... 


	11. Never listen to household appliances

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "You think i've got nothing better to do than sit around watching you serve chicken chasseur in a stool bucket?"  
  
***  
  
Yes, these beloved fics are now back on! I still don't have my PC yet, but it may turn out i have lost all my information anyway, all those nifty cool scenes, ho hum. The musical is be a few days away from coming off hold, due to the fact i have to find all my lyrics and sort out all the requests again. Thanks for your patience :D  
  
***  
  
Chapter 11 - Never listen to household appliances.  
  
****  
  
Sidney gave a bored yawn as she and a few other Morlocks waited for Calisto to show up. The leader of the Morlocks had called them for a meeting, not saying what it was about. After a while, she finally arrived standing in front of them.  
  
"I have bad news", she said with a sigh, "while some of our group were on a food raid, they noticed that the Power8 company had become very...active".  
  
"I'm new at this", said Morph,raising his hand, "but i'm guessing that this isn't a good thing"  
  
"No, it's not", said Evan, "it's a very BAD thing. They could start tipping their poison back into our water systems".  
  
"Exactly", said Calisto with a nod, "that's why i want a few groups of you to go to two look-out points near the factory and keep a lookout on it".  
  
She crossed her arms, looking at the assembled Morlocks.  
  
"Facade, you and Caliban take the west side, by their river area, Cybelle and me will take the east", she said, "Sidney and Morph, you two take up look-out point from the neigbouring building.....no funny buisness, you two"  
  
Morph looked the picture of inocence.  
  
"My dear leader, we swear that of all the buisness we'll get up to, it won't be funny", he said, "nope, just run of the bill buisness, yup"  
  
"This is serious, Morph", snapped Calisto, "Evan and Lucid, take the factory itself. Lucid can look through the walls and Evan can be there if anything goes wrong, though i remind you all, this is just an obervation mission, i don't want any heroics that aren't needed"  
  
"Aye aye Captain", said Sidney with a salute.  
  
"Why, why did i get stuck with these idiots?", asked Calisto with a sigh, shaking her head.  
  
*****  
  
Meanwhile, topside, Warlock was staring intently at a clock on the wall. Every time the second hand ticked, he would blink, for every minute, he would let out a long, sad sigh. Forge had already suffered through five hours of this...apparently, Alien teenagers got themselves grounded even worse than human ones did. After a very long and particually mournfull sigh, he gave a defeated groan.  
  
"Oh allright", he said, "you did your time, kid, you can go"  
  
Before Forge managed to finish the word 'go', Warlock had jumped up and started to race for the door. Forge cleared his throat, Warlock stopping to look at him.  
  
"What have we learned, Walock?".  
  
"One must never, ever randsom a small child one does not know for the safe return of one's pet", replied Warlock, "Self comprehends, can Self go now?"  
  
"Yeah, go on", said Forge waving his hand, "before you bum me out anymore".  
  
"Thank you, Self-Carer-Forge", said Warlock with a grin, "should Self wear protective clothing around your Self-Mate while she is still in agressive state?"  
  
"Nah, she's calmed down by now...hopefully", said Forge, not even having to pause to dechiper what Warlock had said to him, "don't know why she's so moody, ah well".  
  
Warlock grinned and ran off, as if he had been grounded for a month....rather than one day. It was then a voice spoke up....it was the toaster.  
  
"You know, she could be pregnant".  
  
Forge blinked once while his mind processed this. Instead of being suprised by the fact his toaster was talking to him, he shook his head at the objects reply.  
  
"Nuh uh".  
  
"It would explain the mood swings", said the Toaster, "And the broodyness"  
  
"You're lying", said Forge, slightly wide-eyed, "...and broodyness isn't even a word!!What do you know anyway, you're just a toaster!. What he heck possesed me to make a Toaster with Artifical inteligence?"  
  
"I don't know, you made me", replied the Toaster dryly, "and you never listen to me, you never take my advice"  
  
"That's because you're a TOASTER!!!", said Forge, "you're an inaminate object. You're not SUPPOSED to know the wonders of the universe, all you do is make toast!!!"  
  
"I like making toast", said the Toaster, "You don't have to be so testy. Hey, you know what will cheer you up? TOAST!"  
  
"I don't want any toast", said Forge.  
  
"Yeah, you do!", said the Toaster, "come on, i'll make it just the way you like it"  
  
"No toast!", said Forge, "i don't want ANY toast, none!!!"  
  
"You like the microwave better than me, don't you"?, said the Toaster, "it's okay, you can admit it. But remember one thing, the microwave may be able to heat up food in mere minutes, but can it make a good piece of toast? I don't think so!. I make the best toast in the history of toast making. Want to try my toast so i can prove my point?"  
  
"I don't want any bloody toast!", said Forge, "for the fiftieth time!"  
  
"Well, fine then!", said the Toaster, "be like that, see if i care, DADDY"  
  
Forge gave a small whimper, banging his head on the table.  
  
"I am sooooo not hearing this", he said, "Ororo is not pregnant"  
  
"We're gonna have a little baby.....thing!", said the Toaster joyously, "i bet the baby will eat my toast"  
  
Forge got up and promptly ran out.  
  
"Hey, don't go!", said the Toaster, "....want some toast?"  
  
****  
  
I wish i could take credit for the pure genius behind the Toaster with A.I. But i cannot, Talkie Toaster lives on that great vessel Red Dwarf. Sorry this chapter was so short, they'll get bigger once i've had more time to hunker down to them. Hopefully by then i'll have my pc back too. Do review. Until next time. 


	12. Max's clues

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "Aunt Clara had for years not only perpetually labored under the delusion that I was 4 years old, but also a girl"  
  
****  
  
Chapter 12 - Max's clues  
  
*****  
  
In the Mansion, Hank was quietly making his way to the door. He hadn't really expected anyone to be waiting by there....he was wrong.  
  
"Where are you off to, Henry?"  
  
Hank jumped almost three feet into the air, before spinning around to see Storm, watching him calmly.  
  
"I'm just going out", he said.  
  
A small, evil smile crossed her face.  
  
"You're going 'just out' in your best suit?", she asked.  
  
It was then Hank realised....Storm was getting her revenge, it suprised him at how long she could hold a grudge for..he should have known better by now, really. Well, he had one last distraction card to play before he had to tell her the truth.  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be somewhere with Forge..as in anywhere but here?".  
  
......And it failed miserably.  
  
"I don't know where he is", said Storm with a shrug, "he's not at home and he's not answering his cell phone, where are you going, Henry?"  
  
Hank gave a defeated sigh.  
  
"I'm going on a date, happy now?"  
  
Storm looked positively gleefull.  
  
"Oooooh who?", she asked.  
  
"You don't know her", replied Hank, trying to walk away, only to walk into a solid wall of air.  
  
"You mean, after all the hastle you have put me through for dating Forge, you're seeing someone yourself?!!!", said Storm.  
  
Hank cleared his throat and gave a nervous laugh.  
  
"Err....maybe?"  
  
Storm crossed her arms, obviously not amused.  
  
"You have alot of explaining and details to give, Hank, 'buddy'", she said, "such as..."  
  
"Woof"  
  
Hank blinked.  
  
"Woof?"  
  
"I didn't say 'woof', idiot", said Storm, "why would i say 'woof'?"  
  
"Woof"  
  
Both turned to see Max trotting over to them, a little dirty but no different than usual. He shook his tattered coat and sat in front of Storm proudly, licking her hand.  
  
"Max!", said Storm, patting the dog's head, "you came home!. Where on earth have you been, boy?"  
  
"Woof", said Max, "grroowf!".  
  
"What's that Max?, Timmy's trapped down the well?", said Hank dryly, "you honestly think he's going to tell you, Ororo?"  
  
Max growled at Hank before pawing at Storm's leg, whimpering. Storm patted his head again and felt something...odd.  
  
"What's this?", she murmered, pulling out a piece of tattered paper that had been shoved under his collar.  
  
She opened it up, revealing a note with just two words scrawled on it, obviously done in a hurry. 'Alley Danger'.  
  
"Alley Danger?", said Storm, confused.  
  
"That's Tabitha's handwriting", said Hank, looking over her shoulder, "i'd recognise that scrawl anywhere".  
  
"....Something is very wrong here", murmered Storm, "we should take this to the Professor"  
  
****  
  
Meanwhile, in a motel room across from the Power8 factory, Sidney was looking out of the window with binoculars.  
  
"I still don't see anything", she said, "think Calisto got it wrong?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Kevin!", said Sidney, a little louder.  
  
"Huh?", said Morph, snapping out of his thoughts, "oh...i don't know..maybe...we'd better..we'd better keep watching"  
  
"But i'm booooorrreed of watching", whined Sidney, putting the binoculars down.  
  
"We cold always gaze into the future and scare each other", chuckled Morph, morphing his hand into a Magic 8 ball, "oh, Magic 8 Ball, will Sidney ever not go crazy once she's had some catnip?"  
  
He shook his hand and a little message appeared in it's 'bubble', 'Don't count on it'.  
  
"Har de har har", said Sidney dryly, rolling her eyes and wandering over to him.  
  
"I could always ask it if we ever get married", teased Morph.  
  
"Are you even dimly aware that if we get married i'd be Sidney Sidney?", said Sidney,"i mean, how could i get insurance?"  
  
"I knew a Bobby Bobby once", said Morph, "well...he was Robert Bobby, but still...nice to see you're branching out on our relationship".  
  
"I guess i am, huh?", said Sidney with a purr, bringing Morph down for a deep kiss, "'course, there's a whooole lot of fun we can have before we have to worry about that".  
  
"Oh doooo tell", said Morph with a wink.  
  
Sidney smirked, standing up and walking over to the bedroom door, closing it with her hip.  
  
"Try and guess".  
  
***  
  
After Xavier had seen the note from Tabby, he had sent Scott, Kitty, Rogue, Logan, Kurt and Jean out into the Alley...just in case. Tabby may have been a joker, but her long absence had troubled him. Storm had been unable to go (dreading the thought of being in such an enclosed space as the Morlock Tunnels for such a long period of time) and had opted to stay behind to keep watch over the New Recruits. Hank had wanted to join the group heading into the sewers, but had been physically PUSHED out of the mansion to go on his date. Like Logan had so finely put it 'It 'aint everyday a woman'll date a big, blue gorilla-man'. The New Recruits had resigned themselves to moping around the mansion, bemoaning the fact that they never got to go on missions.  
  
"I don't see why I couldn't go", muttered Bobby, "i mean, i'm practically an X-Man already!"  
  
"You told us", said Ray, "you have told us that five hundered times already"  
  
"Well, it's TRUE!", snapped Bobby.  
  
"Am i the only one that's worried about Tabby?", spoked up Amara, her friends note clutched in her hand.  
  
"The others are looking for her", said Sam, trying to make things better, "a'hm sure she's at the Alley and they'll find her, safe an' sound"  
  
"But what if she's not?", squeaked Amara, "WHAT IF SHE'S NOT?!!!"  
  
"I bet i could have found her in seconds", grumbled Bobby.  
  
"Oh PLEASE!!!"  
  
It was then the doorbell rang, though everyone was too wrapped up in fighting to even notice it.  
  
"I'll get it then, shall i?", said Roberto, being completely ignored, as usual.  
  
He sighed, shaking his head and getting up, going to answer the door. When he opened it, he recognised the creepy Native American girl that Kitty had saved...what was her name again?.  
  
"Hi", she said, "err...is Kitty in?"  
  
Roberto blinked. Didn't this girl live up in some montain village?  
  
"No, she's out right now", he paused, "'aren't you a bit far from home to be calling in here?"  
  
"Oh that", she said with a dismissive chuckle, "i just ran away, is all"  
  
She had said to so calmly, it took Roberto a few seconds to realise what she had said.  
  
"WHAT?!!"  
  
"Oh calm down, it's not like it's forever", she said, "Roberto, isn't it?"  
  
"Uh yeah..Roberto", said Roberto, trying to cover up the fact that he'd forgotten her name.  
  
"Danielle", she said, for his benifit, "i'm only here for a few months..maybe longer. I did leave a note for Namshim, he knows what i'm like..or he should by now, so he won't be worried about ym absence, i often wander off alone. So kitty's not in, huh?"  
  
Roberto blinked, amazed at how easily Dani shrugged off the fact she had left home 'for a little while', then moved onto another subject.  
  
"No..she should be back later..you can come in and..", he started.  
  
"Nah, waiting's boring", said Dani, "you know what i could do with? A walk. Want to come on a walk?"  
  
Roberto pondered his options, a walk with someone who could go into his head and bring out his greatest fears....or staying with his fellow New Recruits, listening to them moan all day. Dani won hands down.  
  
"Okay", he said with a shrug, heading out after her.  
  
*****  
  
Yey, i brought Danielle in. Okay, i haven't seen Ghost of a Chance (still no season 4 in the UK :( ), so she'll probably end up more like her comic self, but still.. Incidentally, Namshim is an informal way of saying 'Grandfather' in Cheyenne. Do review. Until next time. 


	13. Better or worse

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "I'm guessing he wants to do a little dance... ya know, make a little love... Well, pretty much get down tonight"  
  
****  
  
Man, this chapter took DAYS to write, it was hard, but i am happy with the results, yup. *Giggles to self* I thank my good friend Calicocat (better known here as Uni-Mara) for being a vent for my hyperactiveness as i was writing this chapter...i was very, very hyper.  
  
Rogueandkurt - Yes, indeed as in Dr Bobby Bobby, have a cookie for observation :)  
  
***  
  
Chapter 13 - Better or worse  
  
****  
  
"So after Juliana died, i came here to the Insitute", said Roberto as he and Dani walked, "i guess i just shelled up, didn't get on with anyone. I didn't want to get close to many people"  
  
"That sucks", said Danielle with a nod, "i can relate, i was really down when my folks died....it didn't help my powers manifesting at the same time. At least i have my Grandfather, he's okay..even if he worries about me".  
  
"He's your grandfather, he's supposed to worry about you", said Roberto.  
  
"I guess", said Dani with a shrug, before grinning, "wow, an arcade!. I hardly ever get to go into them, come on, lets go have fun!!!"  
  
Before Roberto could protest, Danielle had dragged him off towards the arcade. He wondered for a brief second if he should have warned her about his over-achiever issues....a few minutes later, it obviously wasn't a problem.  
  
"HAH, i win!", said Dani as she pummeled him at an arcade game, again, "you suck!".  
  
Roberto blinked.  
  
"Best out of five?", he tried.  
  
"Okay, give me more chance to prove i'm better!", said Dani with a mad laugh, "prepare to be pummeled, DaCosta!".  
  
****  
  
Meanwhile, Storm was getting rather bored of her babysitting duties. The New Recruits were not the best of people to watch...especially when certain ones ran off on their own accord!. She glanced up as Forge walked in, looking like he'd had a near-death experience.  
  
"Forge, where on earth have you been?", said Storm, "i've tried calling you, and i got no answer!...why are you so pale?".  
  
"What?", said Forge distractedly, "i was okay, just taking a walk"  
  
".....For seven hours?", asked Storm, arching a brow.  
  
"A really, really, really long walk", said Forge, sitting down and standing up again.  
  
"Honey", said Storm slowly, "you're....scaring me a little bit, your eyes are very wide and you look very nervous"  
  
"I'm not nervous, i'm hunkey dorey!", said Forge in a high voice, "absolutely mellowed out!".  
  
"Forge", said Storm, a dangerous tone in her voice.  
  
"Okay", said Forge, clearing his throat, "well...here i go".  
  
With that, he got down on one knee, producing a small box from his pocket.  
  
"Ororo Munroe", he said, opening the box and revealing a beautifull engaement ring, "will you marry me?"  
  
Storm blinked at him.  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
Forge gave a small cough.  
  
"Please don't make me say that again, i'm already close to collpasing".  
  
"You.....are crazy!", said Storm, looking at him worriedly and backing away.  
  
"No, i'm not. I'm serious"  
  
"Yes, but..this?..i mean..THIS!?!!", said Storm, "from the guy who's terrified of anything to do with staying in one place at any one time? Come on Forge, what brought this on?".  
  
"Because i love you very very much?", tried Forge weakly.  
  
"Forge!", said Storm irritably.  
  
Darn.  
  
"Because i don't want my baby not to have a father.....i love you", said Forge, wincing ready to be hit.  
  
"Baby?", said Storm, blinking, "what baby?"  
  
"Our baby", said Forge, "the..the one you're pregnant with".  
  
"We have no baby", said Storm, "I'm not pregnant"  
  
"You're not?", Forge blinked, "but....but the Toaster said..."  
  
Forge paused...maybe taking a kitchen appliances advice wasn't his brightest idea.  
  
Storm arched a brow.  
  
"The Toaster?", she asked, "that's.......unusual. But i assure you, Sweetie, i am definately not pregnant. It's nice to know how sweet and serious you are about us though".  
  
Forge cleared his throat, being thouroughlly embarrassed AND complimented on at the same time a bit too much for him to handle. Of course, it wouldn't have been a converstaion with Storm unless she put a final nail in the coffin.  
  
"So....is this proposal retractable?", she asked giving a sly smile.  
  
Forge blinked.  
  
"Neh?".  
  
"Is this proposal retractable?", Storm repeated, "do you honestly want to marry me, or was that you being chivarlous?".  
  
She crossed her arms and waited, keeping a calm apperance...though the weather outside spoke otherwise it was, to be described best, funky. Not many people can attest to sitting outside in 80 degree heat while snowflakes fluttered gently down. Forge barely batted an eyelid to it, he was used to weird weather by now...not that he could actually focus on anything else at the moment anyway. He blinked a few times as he tried to process what had just been asked. Yup, he should have known, his ever so great mind had been swiss cheesed. The second he glanced up at Storm, however, he hadn't a doubt in his mind...in his heart what he wanted.  
  
"Ororo, my people are monogamous, something like a marriage proposal isn't to be taken lightly, it's for life", he said, taking a breath, "you've learned more about me in a year than anyone else would in a lifetime. You know every secret of my heart...just by looking at me. Since i met you, i've been happier than i ever dreamt i could be. I can think of no one else i'd rather spend the rest of my life with...than you".  
  
With that, he looked at the ground. He'd never in his entire life laid his soul bare like that to anyone. He was compltely fragile, his hopes, his dreams...everything laid right there on the table. His fate was in her hands.  
  
"Neh", said Storm with a nochalant shrug, walking off.  
  
Forge blinked a few times.  
  
"That.....wasn't quite the reaction i expected", he said, pouting a little, "is that a no?".  
  
Storm turned back to him.  
  
"Forge, that was without a doubt the most complusive and very...strange thing you have done since i've known you", she said, then added a smile, "but it was also the most open and beautifull thing i've ever heard".  
  
Forge cocked his head to the side.  
  
"Confused now", he said.  
  
Storm chuckled, walking over to him and giving him a kiss.  
  
"Rougly translated, i'd be an idiot to let you go", she said, then added for his benifit, "that would be a yes".  
  
*****  
  
Meanwhile, across town, Sidney was sleeping on the bed of the hotel room. She stirred lightly before waking, seeing that Morph had got up.  
  
"Kevin...what's wrong?", she asked, sitting up.  
  
"Sid...", started Morph, before sighing, "we....we have to go back to the tunnels".  
  
Sidney frowned, tilting her head to the side.  
  
"Why?...what's wrong?".  
  
"We've been set up", he said, "don't ask me how i know...but i think we've been set up. All of our better fighters are gone from the tunnels....it would be the perfect time to attack".  
  
"...Are..are you saying that our home is being attacked?", asked Sidney, blinking at him, "...oh man, we have to get back there, and now"  
  
*****  
  
I did it, i did it, tra la la la la la!!! *Squeals* Ahem. Incidentally, when Storm asks if the proposal is retractable, it is a in-comic joke. When comic Forge proposed to Storm, he retracted it, because he thought she wouldn't say yes, which, ironically, she would have...yeah, that always makes me cry (it's Jean's fault too, little red haired...) so that won't happen to OUR Storm and Forge...because i love them too much. See, see the can of worms that opened in my head?...I'll go rant to my wall for a while. I know this was a terribly romantic chapter, but the next one will be fulla action, i promise ;) Do review. Until next time. 


	14. Emergence of an enemy

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "I don't want a haunted car. I already have a haunted cello"  
  
*****  
  
Chapter 14 - Emergence of an enemy.  
  
****  
  
"I wish you'd tell me how you know something is wrong", said Sidney as she and Morph ran out of the hotel.  
  
"I told you, it's just a gut feeling", said Morph.  
  
They turned the corner, running into Calisto, Evan and the others, with them was a terrified-looking Artie, projecting images above him of terrifed Morlocks running everywhere.  
  
"We've been set up", said Calisto, "the Alley has been attacked, we have to egt down there, NOW".  
  
With that, she charged off for the nearest sewer opening, the others following with her.  
  
****  
  
Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Forge was happily sitting in the living room reflecting on this sudden big (and rather scary) change in his life. He glanced up when he heard a bark, only to have Max leap onto his knee, licking him happily.  
  
"Aggs, MAX!", he said, then blinked, "Max! You came home!"  
  
"He came home last night, Self-Carer", said Warlock with a happy grin as he walked in.  
  
"I find out 'Ro's not pregnant, i get engaged, AND my dog comes home?", said Forge, "this is the best day ever!".  
  
"Hi, Forge!".  
  
Forge glanced up as Dani walked in with Roberto.  
  
"...Well, nothing lasts forever", muttered Forge, "what are you doing here Dani?...You didn't run off again did you?"  
  
Danielle cleared her throat.  
  
"If by 'run off', you mean 'walked out of the Reservation, neglecting to tell anyone'.....maybe a little", she said sheepishly, "but Grandad's okay with it, he's used to me".  
  
"Yeah....because he can blame me", muttered Forge.  
  
He blinked at Roberto, who let out a defeated sigh. Forge arched a brow before frowning at Danielle.  
  
"Nétaé?êhósêtónê?éve?"*, he said.  
  
Dani tried her best to look inocent.  
  
"Hova'ehe"**, she replied, then to get rid of Roberto's look of sheer confusion, "we were just at the arcade and i beat him. It was fun!".  
  
A smirk crossed Forge's face.  
  
"Ahhh i see what's going on", he said teasingly, earning a blushing glare from Danielle.  
  
"He'kotoo'êstse!", she hissed, "Éáahtomóne".***  
  
Forge blinked.  
  
"Dani...i really don't think Roberto can understand a word we've just said", he said.  
  
"No..no i can't", said Roberto, blinking in suprise as Danielle started ushering him away from Forge.  
  
"Come on Roberto, lets go elsewhere before SOMEONE starts sticking his nose where it doesn't belong!".  
  
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the remaining mutants of the mansion had opted to gather around Storm to oggle her ring.  
  
"It's so big and pretty", said Amara, "i'll trade you it for a piece of my island"  
  
"Not in a million years", said Storm pointedly.  
  
"Wait", said Bobby, "Would that make you Mrs...Forge?".  
  
"No", replied Ororo, "i'll keep Munroe..Forge is still nervous about using his real name...not that I see anything wrong with it".  
  
"You KNOW it?", said Jamie, standing up.  
  
"Sweety, do you thinnk i would agree to marry a man if i did not know his name?", said Storm placidly.  
  
Everyone was quiet for a minute before Amara piped up.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I'm not telling", replied Storm, a smug grin on her face.  
  
"AWWWW", said the teens in uison.  
  
"Damn, oh well, we can still put our efforts into finding out Rogue's real name", said Ray.  
  
"A'hm sure she'll LOVE to hear that", said Sam, then grinned, "so will Forge be Mr Munroe?".  
  
"Maybe", said Storm, "lets face it, neither of us have been ones to follow convention".  
  
*****  
  
Inside the tunnels, Sidney, in her tiger-form padded through the panicking load of Morlocks. She paused when she found Tommy lying on the ground, she nuged her very still from and backed away with a soft growl....she was dead. Sidney narrowed her eyes and growled lowly, heading back through the tunnels, ready to protect her home. She stopped dead, hearing Torpid scream. With a roar, she leapt around the corner, pinning down Torpid's attacker. She gave a snarl, raising a paw to swipe when she saw who she was pinning down. She gave a suprised mew and jumped off her uncle, backing up and sitting down in shock. Sabertooth pulled himself up with a growl, then caught Sidney's scent. He blinked.....Sinister had not said anything about this.... Sidney changed into her normal form, her green feline eyes staying firmly trained on Sabertooth's.  
  
"Sidney...i..."  
  
"Save it", said Sidney with a growl, picking up Torpid and walking off down a tunnel.  
  
She had never been more thankfull in her life than when she saw Evan waiting for them.  
  
"We gotta get outta here, now", he said.  
  
Sidney's ears flicked back, and she sniffed the air. She gave a growl and passed Torpid onto Evan.  
  
"Go, i'll be right behind you".  
  
Evan blinked in suprise.  
  
"But...Sid...."  
  
"GO!".  
  
Evan sighed, but did as he was told. He knew whatever Sidney needed to handle, she could do so on her own. Sidney watched him go before spinning around with a snarl.  
  
"You betrayed me".  
  
"This isn't what it looks like", said Sabertooth, stalking out of the shadows.  
  
Sidney growled low, he tail twiching, her ears flat back.  
  
"It isn't?", she said, "'cause at the moment it looks like you heading a slaughter of inocent people that your own flesh and blood is a part of".  
  
"I'm not here to attack YOU", said Sabertooth, "i'm just doing my job"  
  
Sidney gave a snarl, charging forwards, morphing into a leoapard her claws unleashed. Sabertooth easly dodged out of the way, but Sidney rounded on him again with a snarl.  
  
"Sidney, please, listen to me", said Sabertooth, "i'm NOT going to fight you".  
  
Sidney roared, sprining on him and pinning him down. Sabertooth gave a growl of pain as her claws dug into his shoulders. He twisted himself from her grasp, using his arm to lift her up and pin her aginst the wall as she tried to claw at him.  
  
"I didn't KNOW you were down here", he snarled, "this ISN'T about you. If i knew you were down here, i wouldn't have come!".  
  
Sidney mophed herself back to her true form, struggling against Sabertooth's arm.  
  
"So, if i wasn't down here, you would have come and killed all these pople? WHY?".  
  
"It's my JOB", snarled Sabertooth, "and you KNOW it is. I'm not much of an assasin if people don't DIE during my work"  
  
"The Morlocks have done nothing", said Sidney, "they just live their lives down here. They don't deserve this".  
  
"I'm not the one who makes that decsion", said Sabertooth.  
  
"Then who does?", growled Sidney.  
  
"I do", said a voice as a pale-faced man stepped into the alley.  
  
Her wore a black armoured suit, with a long cloak. His red eyes shifted on Sidney and he gave a fanged smirk.  
  
"Hello there, young lady", he said, "i'm Nathanial Essex, though you can refer to me as Mr Sinister"  
  
****  
  
Kudos to those who guessed what was happening beforehand. Yup Mr Sinister, evil physco man that he is...  
  
Incidentally, if you want to know what Forge and Danielle's conversation in Cheyenne was it runs thusly:  
  
* "What did you do THIS time?"  
  
** "Nothing"  
  
*** "Be quiet! He's listening!"  
  
Sorry, i couldn't resist that, Forge and Dani get hardly any interaction in the comics, despite them both being from the same tribe and very obviously knowing each other. Do review. Until next time... 


	15. Betrayal

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "You want to know what i want? I want alot of things! I want to be with the woman i love on valantines day. And i want her to love me back. And i want just one moment of relief from the gut wrenching pain of knowing that's never gonna happen" "...We have red bagles"  
  
***  
  
The Son of Logan and Ororo: Ooooh a Dani fic? Very cool! I get most of my Cheyenne words from the Cheyenne Topical Word list. It even has sound waves for some things :D Nope, until i find out what Forge's real name is from the comics (which may yet still be never ever) i won't be giving him a name, he'll just be Forge, loved the joke though...Forge is less amused  
  
Roguecajun: Yes, Remy WAS part of the Morlock Massacre, and you shall see him (or rather the escence of him) in this chapter. I'm trying to keep the Remy and Rogue appearances in this fic as small as possible, because people'll start asking for Romy which, i am afraid to say, i am so sick of seeing i can't bring myself to write it, not right now anyhoo. They will be alot more Remy in the next chronicles, i promise.  
  
****  
  
Chapter 15 - Betrayal.  
  
****  
  
"Mr Sinister?", questioned Sidney, arching a brow, "kinda corny, isn't it?"  
  
"Not really", said Sinister, "i quite like it"  
  
Sidney turned her head, still being pinned to the wall by Sabertooth.  
  
"Why?", she asked, "why come down here and kill all these inocent people"  
  
"The Morlocks are the scum of mutant kind", replied Sinister, "Darwin said there was a survival of the fittest for each race, evolution does have a few...throwbacks while it works, the Morlocks are them".  
  
Sindey wrinkled her nose.  
  
"Oh great, another fruit job"  
  
"Quite", said Sinister with a pleasant smile, before turning to her Uncle, "Dispose of it, Sabertooth"  
  
Sabertooth paused, glancing between Sidney and Sinster.  
  
"Go ahead Sabertooth", said Sidney coldly, "put an end to this 'genetic throwback'".  
  
Sabertooth closed his eyes with a sigh, moving his arm and letting his Niece drop to the ground.  
  
"I can't".  
  
"What?", said Sinster, spinning around, "what do you mean 'you can't?. You're a cold blooded killer, you've killed more people than you can fit into a small city"  
  
"I. Don't. Kill. Family", said Sabertooth with a growl, then turned his head to Sidney, "run, now".  
  
Sidney looked completely confused until she noticed other figures coming out of the shadows. They obviously weren't happy with Sabertooth's decison.  
  
"That's too bad, Creed", said Sinister, shaking his head, "you were the best i had...oh well. Time to put the kitty-cat down".  
  
The figures from the shadows started to close in.  
  
"I can't leave you to face these guys alone", said Sidney, "they outnumber you ten to one!".  
  
"Sidney, you are leavin' and you are leavin' NOW", growled Sabertooth, "I can handle this, GO!".  
  
Sidney stood admantly for a few minutes, her tail flicking uncertainally.  
  
"Sidney GO", pleaded her Uncle, "i got a healin' factor, you haven't!".  
  
Sidney watched him for a moment long before sighing defeatedly, morphing into a small cat and runing off through the sewers. A couple of the gang moved to go after her, but Sinister put his hand up to stop them.  
  
"Leave her, it's HIM i want gone", he said, pointing at Sabertooth, who was growling at his attackers, his hackles raised as they closed in.  
  
*****  
  
Sidney kept on running, slapshing through the tunnels before her ears perked. Coming the other way through the tunnel were the X-Men. She quickly morphed into her normal form, making them stop dead in front of her.  
  
"Sidney?", said Kitty in suprise.  
  
"What are you all doing here?", said Sidney.  
  
"We got a message from Tabby saying that the Alley was in danger", replied Logan, "judging from the screaming and the running around...that's true.  
  
Sidney nodded, glancing behind her.  
  
"Some freak called Sinister has attacked us all", she said, "they...they have my Uncle there. They're gonna rip him to shreds!"  
  
Logan shrugged.  
  
"Ahh well, Que sera, sera", he said, turning to leave, only to have Sidney grab his arm.  
  
"Please", she said, "i know you don't like him but....but he's the only family i have left"  
  
He's also the family who came down here to hunt down a bunch of inocent people, she thought to herself.  
  
"Then you go save him yourself", growled Logan, pulling his arm away and stalking off down the tunnels.  
  
Sidney turned her pleading look on the rest of them. The X-Men shuffled uneasily from foot to foot, looking at the ground.  
  
"Fine!", snapped Sidney, turning back the way she came, "i'll help him myself!"  
  
Without another word, she morphed into a lioness and raced off. It didn't take her long to get back to the place she had elft her uncle. Even with his healing factor, it was obvious Sabertooth wasn't doing well in this fight. One woman with bizzare green hair was waving her hands at him, making him dizzy, causing his claw swipes to miss pretty much all the time. Another large man was crushing him from behind, while a young man with purple hair was spinning around like a human whirlwind, firing throwing stars at him. Sidney gave a roar of anger, jumping at the woman and knocking her to the ground. The other mutants stopped attacking Sabertooth to take in this new threat, letting him drop to the ground unconcious with a thud.  
  
"You again?", said Sinister irritably, "you ARE anoying. What will it take for you to get lost?".  
  
A sudden smirk crossed his face.  
  
"Oh, i know", he said, "i'll ask one of my people who really knows you".  
  
Sidney morphed into her normal form, standing, but keeping her foot on the woman, pinning her to the ground.  
  
"What are you talking about?", she asked, frowning.  
  
Sinister grinned, beconing something from the shadows beside him to come out. After what seemed a long time, Morph appeared, his head hung low. Sidney's eyes widened, and she backed away, confused.  
  
"I...i don't understand", she said.  
  
"It;s simple", grinned Sinister, "Morph here was working for me all along. He's my mole. I planted him here so he could feel out the strengths and weaknesses of the place. He did a good job of feighing that incident at the Power8 company too to get the stronger Morlock fighters out of the way".  
  
Sidney looked at Morph in shock, who just kept his head low.  
  
"No", whispered Sidney, shaking her head, "Kevin...it isn't true...please, it can't be"  
  
Morph shut his eyes, not able to look up at her.  
  
"I'm sorry, Sid"  
  
Sidney narrowed her eyes at him.  
  
"After everything we....you...you USED me!", she snapped, "everything you said was a lie? It was nothing but a ruse?!".  
  
"No!", said Morph, looking up at her for the first time since he had come out of the shadows, "well....that was how it was at first but..that was before i..i fell in love with you".  
  
"LIAR!", hissed Sidney, her tail thrashing angrilly, "you used me so you and Sinster could hunt down the Morlocks!".  
  
"I had no choice", pleaded Morph, jumping in front of her and holding her hands, "please believe me. I...i really do lov.."  
  
"Save it", said Sidney coldly, snatching her hands away.  
  
"But...it's true", said Morph, "i swear to you it is".  
  
"So...did you realise you loved me before or after we...", Sidney trailed off, a tear dripping down her cheek.  
  
"Before", said Morph, "way way WAY before. I love you, Sid, above everything else in life"  
  
"Awwww isn't this touching?", said Sinister with a chuckle, before frowning, "not having a change of heart are we, Morph?"  
  
Morph turned to look at Sinister.  
  
"Go to Hell", he replied.  
  
"I take that as a no, shall i?", said Sinister with a smirk, "Well, if none of you imbicelles can finish her off, i'll have to do it myself, Scalphunter"  
  
A man waiting on the side grabbed a small gun for his belt...then formed it into a rather big, nasty looking gun instead.  
  
"Don't you just LOVE technomorphing?", chuckled Sinister, aiming the gun at her, "don't worry, this won't hurt....much".  
  
"Sidney, look out!", shouted Morph, kocking her aside as Sinister fired, taking the blast himself.  
  
Sidney lost the ability to speak, the words caught in her throat as Morph slumped to the ground.  
  
"No", she finally chocked out, falling to her knees to cradle his head, "come on, Kevin, you can just morph through this, right?".  
  
"The gun disupts mutant cells", replied Scalphunter, proud, even if it had struck a team mate, "he can't heal himself up".  
  
Sidney gave a small sob, her old tears being joined by new ones.  
  
"Hey, shhhh", said Morph, reaching a hand up and brushing the tears away, "i thought you were stronger than this, Beautifull".  
  
Sidney closed her eyes, resting her face in his hand before looking at him.  
  
"Don't leave me, please", she whispered.  
  
"Sorry, Sidney", said Morph, taking in a breath, "you have no idea how much i wanna stay but i don't think i can".  
  
Sidney shook her head.  
  
"Don't talk like that", she said, "you can pull through this".  
  
Morph leaned his head up, kissing her gently.  
  
"Bye, Sid", he said, "keep your head up...Love you".  
  
And with that, Morph lay his head back, closed his eyes and let out one, final breath. Sidney watched him in shock before resting her head on his chest, crying softly.  
  
"Anybody else bored yet?", said Sinister, charging up the gun again and aiming it at Sidney, "bye bye, kitty-cat"  
  
A red beam suddenly zapped the weapon out of his hand. Sidney looked up in suprise to see the X-Men were there.  
  
"We're outnumbered Sinister", said the green haired woman in a sing song voice.  
  
"I know that, Vertigo", hissed Sinister, "damn, we'll come back for you, another day, Miss Cat. Diversion now!"  
  
From nowhere a small card flittered in between the X-Men and Sindey, exploding and cutting them off from the Maurauders. Once the dust had cleared, they were nowhere in sight.  
  
"Sidney..are you okay?", asked Kurt, putting a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"No, no i'm not", growled Sidney, looking at Morph's body before standing up, "take my Uncle to the Institute, please, take care of him....I'm going after Sinister".  
  
Without waiting to hear any protests, Sidney morphed into a leopard and stalked off.  
  
****  
  
Man, that was hard. I love Morph to pieces, i truely do, and i had to kill him off. Darn. All the Maurauders i used are cannon characters i scooped out of my little X-Men dictonary thingie. To you wild, crazy Remy fans, i know he wasn't seen, but there is a reason for it, which you won't see until later in the chronicles ;). Our next chapter will be the last. Do review. Until next time... 


	16. Counting losses, counting blessings

Shifting Sands  
  
By Todd Fan  
  
Disclaimer: "Stupid! British! Snack! Food!"  
  
*****  
  
And here it is, the final chapter. Yup, i know this has been a short chronicle, but as we have 'filler chapters', this would be the 'filler chronicle', where i got all the left over stuff done before i move onto the next, bigger one.  
  
***  
  
Chapter 16 - Counting losses, counting blessings  
  
****  
  
Sidney had followed Sinister's scent all the way to an old werehouse. Man, it was always in an old werehouse, some villians just couldn't get out of the rutt, could they? Man, she wouldn't be shocked if there was a pool full of man-eating sharks somewhere inside. When she did get inside, she discovered that if Sinister had indeed lived here, he had cleared out, very recently.  
  
"Sidney?"  
  
Sidney flicked her ears back, turning her head to see where the voice had come from. Sitting in a cell, well really a carve out of the wall, was Tabby. Instead of bars, the cell has what looked like a simple shaft of light. Sidney morphed herself back to her true form and padded over.  
  
"Tabby!. The X-Men have been looking for you everywhere!", she said, "what are you doing here?"  
  
"That Dracula wanabe caught me and threw me in here", said Tabby, "he got some pale bald guy to take my place, a shapeshifter"  
  
Sidney felt a sharp twang of pain...Morph. Tabby, however, so happy at the prospect of rescue babbled on, not noticing.  
  
"Had Forge's dog here for a bit, but i managed to slip a note in his collar and he escaped when they came to feed us", she said, "glad it got to you all. Did Sinister get to the Morlocks"  
  
Sidney closed her eyes and hung her head low.  
  
"Oh", said Tabby, "...i'm sorry"  
  
Sidney sighed before looking up at her.  
  
"How come you can't get out?"  
  
"I tried", said Tabby, "and only once too. Ever had a nasty electric shock?"  
  
To demonstrate, Tabby formed a boom-ball and tossed it at the light deividing them. As soon as the bomb hit the light, it frazzed, as it was hit by a huge electric shock. Sidney narrowed her eyes.  
  
"Ouch", she said, "where's the off switch?"  
  
Tabby nodded at a small box on the side of the wall next to her cell.  
  
"There", she said, "but it's D.N.A encoded, only Sinister and his cronies can get in. I'm telling you, that guy is MAD about genetics, seriously, he needs a hobby"  
  
"D.N.A econded", muttered Sidney, before looking at her hands...they still had Morph's blood on them.  
  
She sighed putting her hand on the pad, it light up and blipped a few times, before the electical circuit shut down, freeing Tabby.  
  
"Wow, how'd you do that?", said Tabby cheerfully, happy to be free after so long.  
  
"I...", Sidney hid her hands, "have a way with machines...come on, lets get back to the Institute"  
  
******  
  
It didn't take them long to arrive back at the Institute. The second Tabby stepped her foot through the door, Amara had grabbed her into a hug, squealing happily before dragging her off to catch her up on all the news. Sidney sighed, hanging her head low, before glancing up, hearing Xavier's wheelchair move over to her.  
  
"How is he?", she asked quietly.  
  
"He's fine", said Xavier,trying to keep his smile pleasant, though it was obvious he wasn't overly thrilled to have Sabertooth in his home, "his healing factor kicked in...and he and Logan decided to have a shouting match. He's in the Infirmary now"  
  
Sidney smiled, giving a nod of thanks, heading to the Infirmary, where Sabertooth was sitting up in his bed.  
  
"Hey", she said quietly, walking to his bedside.  
  
"Hey Kiddo", said Sabertooth, then looked down, "i'm sorry. I know i hurt you".  
  
"Yeah..you did", replied Sidney, "you broke my trust, Uncle Victor....you're not the same to me anymore".  
  
Sabertooth nodded.  
  
"I understand", he said.  
  
Sidney gave a defeated sigh and gave him a hug.  
  
"You're still my Uncle though...and i still love you to bits", she said, "get better, 'kay?"  
  
Sabertooth chuckled, hugging her back.  
  
"Hey, i'll be outta here in hours, believe me", he said, "right after i make a biiiiig scratch mark along the Runt's bike"  
  
Sidney gave a weak smile and nodded.  
  
"I....i gotta go and check on everyone", she said, ".....bye Uncle Vic"  
  
With that, she turned and headed out of the infirmary, walking past the common room, where everyone was gathered. Kurt was animatedly telling the others what they had missed, while Danielle was sneaking herself a liiiittle closer to Roberto. Ray stood up and walked over to her.  
  
"Oh...you're here", he said, "the others..they were worried about you"  
  
"You've been to see the Morlocks?", asked Sidney, then her shoulders drooped, "how bad is it?"  
  
"Ten fatalities", replied Ray sadly, "Annalee, Chicken-Wing, Blow Hard, Piper, Tommy, Cybelle, Samson, Zeek, Morph"  
  
Ray paused taking a breath and closing his eyes.  
  
"And Scaleface", he replied quietly.  
  
Sidney's tail drooped sadly. She put a hand on Ray's shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry", she said gently, "....she missed you, you know"  
  
"Yeah...i know", said Ray, turning away, and heading to his room, "I missed her too".  
  
Sidney sighed, shaking her head sadly before heading out the front door, just as Hank walked through it. She didn't even lift her head, just methodically plodded away.  
  
"It did not go well, did it?", asked Hank, closing the door behind her.  
  
"No", replied Rogue, "it was nasty. A'h hope you had a better night"  
  
Hank blushed and coughed.  
  
"Well, yes, yes i did", he replied.  
  
"Are you going to tell us who it is yet, or do we have to poke it out of you?", asked Forge.  
  
Hank cleared his throat.  
  
"Patricia Tilbert", he replied.  
  
Scott blinked  
  
"As in Trish Tilby?", he asked, "as in the famous reporter?"  
  
"Aww, she's not that famous", murmered Hank.  
  
"Hank's got a giiiiiiirlfriend", sang Kitty.  
  
"Kitty, hush!", scolded Ororo.  
  
Hank chuckled, then did a double take on Storm.  
  
"Did you knock over a jewerly store?", he asked her, indicating to her finger "you swore your theiveing days were through!".  
  
"No!", said Ororo thwacking him on the head for even SAYING such a thing, then added breezily, "Forge proposed, speaking of which, private talk, Dear"  
  
"Wait....he did WHAT?!", said Hank, blinking as Storm dragged Forge off.  
  
"Ouch!...'Ro..kinda pulling on my only arm here", said Forge, not really wanting to either: A - Lose another limb, B - Anger Storm, or C - All of the above.  
  
"Oh, sorry", said Storm, releasing him then glancing around, "Hey, remember the reason you asked me to marry you in the first place?"  
  
Forge arched a brow.  
  
"Uh huh", he replied.  
  
Storm gave a nervous laugh.  
  
"Funny story"  
  
***  
  
Sidney gave a shuddery sigh as she made it to the manhole that would take her to the alley. She didn't know how to face them..or what mess would be down there. She leant down to pull the cover off when a voice stopped her.  
  
"Sidney"  
  
She spun around to see Todd standing there.  
  
"Todd!", she said in suprised, "what are you doing here?"  
  
"I wanted to see if you're allright", he replied, "i heard about Morph...new travels fast in the mutant world.....you okay?"  
  
"The guy i love is dead", said Sidney, "who happened to have betrayed me, as did my Uncle. So , no, no i'm not okay"  
  
"Sorry", said Todd gently.  
  
Sidney turned her head away, her tail flicking.  
  
"Why aren't you out with your perfect little Witch?", she said moodily.  
  
"Wanda and me have split up", replied Todd, "she wasn't right for me"  
  
"Oh?", said Sidney, anger in her voice, "and who is?"  
  
"You know the answer to that", said Todd, "It's always been you, Sidney".  
  
"No, it hasn't", said Sidney, "you lied to me about Dagger...and then you went after Wanda....Todd, i don't think i CAN trust you anymore. Everything our friendship was based on has shattered...i don't know what we have left".  
  
Todd gave a small sad sigh.  
  
"Please", he said, "don't go back in there. Stay here, with me...please".  
  
Sidney closed her eyes, shaking her head.  
  
"I can't, i don't belong there anymore".  
  
"Then i'll come with you and..."  
  
Sidney shook her head.  
  
"I'm sorry, Todd", she said gently, "accept that you and me have ended...move on".  
  
"I tried that, and i failed miserbaly at it", said Todd, "wait!".  
  
He leapt between her and the manhole, giving her a deep, desperate kiss. Sidney pulled away, looking at him sadly.  
  
"Todd...", she said, "i..i care about you. But i can't do anything....not right now. My trust has been destroyed".  
  
"Let me build it back for you", said Todd softly.  
  
Sidney hugged her arms around herself as she made her way to the manhole cover.  
  
"Maybe one day...we'll be together again", she said sadly, "but i have to let my trust grow again. Try again, Todd, once you've decided to come clean and tell me the truth...the truth about everything".  
  
She gave him a sad smile, before pulling up the cover and dropping down, recovering the hole moments after.  
  
Todd watched the spot for a while, before giving a sigh, hanging his head.  
  
"You'll get the truth, Sid", he whispered, "you deserve it...you deserve it all".  
  
With that, he turned and headed back home.  
  
END  
  
*****  
  
And that's it! In case you haven't guessed, the next chronicle will be the Todd Origin story (boy that's going to be a doozy to write). The Morlock victims are all the ones that were killed in the massacre, though i may have missed one or two if my sources were wrong, ahh well. Do review. Thanks for reading, catch you in the next chronicle once it's written. 


End file.
